[-empyre-] media history and more

[Renate Ferro]

Thanks Joanne for posting this incredibly personal post about Barbara. Interesting story about your assistance in her filming and transportation.  I believe Lynne Sachs may be traveling right now but I am sure she will see your post when she returns. 

Yes indeed, I would agree that Barbara’s work did appeal to a female audience but I firmly believe that her legacy will be that of her spirit, her drive, and her strength, and her fearlessness for all creative artists.   The Art of Dying was such an incredible lecture/performance.  Many thanks for posting the YOU Tube link in your post. 

I am reminded about Beatriz da Costa’s 2012 installation Dying for the Other.  Da Costa also had cancer and created the piece in light of her research in tandem with other medical professionals.  https://vimeo.com/241349987  While da Costa’s work was anthropological, Barbara’s piece is pure politics. 

On another note, in looking closely at Barbara’s early super 8 films and subsequent videos, I noticed that she produced editions that contained 7 with 2 artist proofs.  Does the National Gallery own the work?  Do you have any idea of who is handling Barbara’s work now?  Will Florrie take over that legacy.  Perhaps it’s a bit too early to even know.  

More tomorrow! 
Thanks. 
Renate



 




Dear Renate and All,

I met Barbara through her work first, as a film student in Mark Street's
film class, I think (he is Lynne Sachs' partner) when he taught at the
University of Maryland Baltimore County -- must have been 1997 or 98, and I think he screened Dyketactics for his Film 101 class. Perhaps I am
imagining he did? Lynne, Barbara and Mark had known each other for years
before then, having met in San Francisco when they all lived there (Lynne,
who's on this list, can correct me if I got that wrong!).

I met Barbara in person for the first time in 2004, when she traveled to
Hallwalls in Buffalo to present Resisting Paradise -- she had screened work
at Hallwalls over three decades by then. After her screening, I drove her
and her film equipment across the border to Toronto, Canada (only about an
hour north), to meet with a woman who, as youngster, had known Claude
Cahun. Barbara was researching and working on what would become her film Lover/Other at the time. Although the footage never made it into the final
film, I can say that I assisted BH as her driver and cable wrapper. The
drive there and back was filled with conversation about filmmaking,
politics, and our shared "former Eastern European" heritage (hers
Ukrainian, mine Polish). It was a time in my life when I was grateful to be
working in the arts primarily as an administrator who programmed cinema. It
was a time of forging new relationships and lasting friendships. Barbara
was different. She never let me off the hook: "Where are all your books?"
she asked, first time she came to my shared office space at Hallwalls --
they're all at home I replied, wondering: who asks that!? Barbara did --
always provocative, always curious and encouraging. At least she was as
along as I knew her -- I often wondered how someone, how a woman artist in particular, became or made herself so strong, so fearless?

This spirit and this drive she had no doubt affected my own practice --
although as an artist, my "output" dwindled as my programming work became my main focus. Recently, over the last two years, I had the privilege of getting to know Barbara and Florrie more personally, meeting at their
apartment -- and once with my 10 year old daughter, who they both wanted to meet as soon as possible. Perhaps partly before she grew up but now, I
realize, before Barbara died.

As for the reception of Barbara's work: in my limited experience outside of
main cultural centers like NYC, I can say that she drew a dedicated and
devoted following of mostly women who, I would venture to say, hugely
appreciated her artistry and the person. I'll be curious to experience the
reception of her work later this year, after the film series we're
organizing at the National Gallery of Art happens. Of course, now that
Barbara has passed, I expect the mood to be celebratory yet somber - I'd
like to show a clip or two from The Art of Dying
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMeoAx9dZkI>(
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMeoAx9dZkI>Palliative Art Making in the
Age of Anxiety) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMeoAx9dZkI> too.



Renate Ferro
Visiting Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Art
Tjaden Hall 306
rferro at cornell.edu
 
 

On 4/3/19, 5:16 PM, "empyre-bounces at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au on behalf of Joanna Raczynska" <empyre-bounces at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au on behalf of raczynska.joanna at gmail.com> wrote:

    ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------