Pipilotti Rist

Wikipedia says: During her studies Pipilotti Rist began making super 8 films. Her works generally last only a few minutes, and contained alterations in their colors, speed, and sound. Her works generally respond to issues related to gender, sexuality, and the human body.

In contrast to those of many other conceptual artists, her colorful and musical works transmit a sense of happiness and simplicity. Rist's work is regarded as feminist by some art critics. Her works are held by many important art collections worldwide.

I say: oooooooooohhh pretty.

GULP

sorry, ummmm...no need to panic, right??

i miss oregon

just feeling nostalgic, i guess.

I know what social action is not....

here is a project completely ignoring the social context within which it exists. Operating on assumptions of power and privilege; colonizing a neighborhood of displaced and disenfranchised people; the artists appear to be totally ignorant of the racist, classist implications of what they are doing. I can't help but think about all the money invested in these "instillations", all the materials used, all the time and energy invested and i wonder to what end? If anything the project highlights the cavernous distance between the "haves" and "have nots" by juxtaposing the mindless excesses of consumer culture against a backdrop of real poverty.

What is Social Action anyway??

Presently, I think my greatest struggle is in wanting to approach art therapy from a social action perspective, but having a rigid idea of how this looks and feels in practice. There is a gap between the ideology with which I ascribe and my ability to apply or interject this approach in my internship setting. Social action, to me, means recognizing the intersecting roles that race, gender, class, sexuality and other systems of oppression affect and inhibit an individual’s quest for empowerment. It is an approach that shifts the focus of treatment from deficits and diagnosis to an emphasis on strength and possibility.