When you think about historical reenactment, you probably think about reenacting Civil War battles or performing a character at a Renaissance fair. But Catherine Grant is interested in artists who use reenactment to ask questions about the history of feminist and queer activism, and the role of artists in political life. By reenacting and remixing scenes from history, these artists revive stories from the past that might illuminate the present in surprising ways. Beyond the realm of art, Catherine wants us to recognize the power of performing repeated actions in our everyday lives.
For a transcript of the episode, click here.
Bonus clip
Works mentioned
– Oriana Fox, Our Bodies, Ourselves
– The Lord’s Prayer
– “Be Thou My Vision”
– Ana Mendieta, Body Tracks
Further reading
Judy Chicago – A Conversation with My Younger Self (video)
Anna Russell at The New Yorker – An Overdue Celebration for an Unruly Landmark of Feminist Art
Veronica Esposito at Literary Hub – On 1970s Feminism and Watching Mrs. America as a Trans Woman
Jen Chaney at Vulture – The Fundamental Flaw in And Just Like That…
Miss Rosen at Vice – Ana Mendieta Fought for Women’s Rights and Paid with Blood
Ta-Nehisi Coates at The Atlantic – Do Civil War Reenactments Help or Hinder?
Nicole Pasulka at Slate – Read My Lips
Patrick Marlborough at Vice – One Day at a Medieval Fair Proved I’m Not Tough Enough to be a Geek