ONLINE PROGRAM

Contemporary Art & Classical Myth, Part II: Myth as Method & Performing Myth

Jennie Hirsh, professor of modern and contemporary art at the Maryland Institute College of Art

Building on the foundation of "Myth as Meaning" and "Myth as Medium," this lecture explores the value of classical mythology today. In that vein, I argue that myth offers - and historically has - a uniquely creative critical methodology for understanding artistic practice and its impact. To better understand this premise, we will review case studies dedicated to Duane Hanson, Bas Jan Ader, Vlatka Horvat, Francis Alÿs, and Bill Viola. Finally, the writing and performance work of artist-critic Johanna Frueh offers the opportunity to imagine how mythological self-expression can open new, and in this case, especially feminist avenues for living.

In this lecture, Valerie Fletcher traces Sikander’s trajectory as she emerged from obscurity and rose to international fame. In 1999, her solo show at the Hirshhorn Museum attracted critical acclaim, which was dimmed by the anti-Muslim backlash after the events of 9/11. Sikander’s iconography subsequently addressed and then moved beyond the ensuing fears and cultural misunderstandings. Receiving a MacArthur “genius” award in 2006 enabled the artist to expand into other media, notably murals, mosaics, and video. The retrospective exhibition in 2016 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Houston Museum cemented her reputation as a pioneering transnational artist.

$15 fee for guests and subscribers (no fee for members)