Lecture Paper 1

Caitlin Pupich

DM 350 Lecture Paper 1

Lecture Paper/Film Screening 1: Mwangi Hutter

This artist is a combination of the names of the husband, Robert Hutter, and wife, Ingrid Mwangi, that make up this dynamic duo. They work as a single entity with the intention of questioning and fighting the singular and limiting notions of identity that much of the world holds, even across cultures. Their work is created through a powerful combination of performance art, videography, and sound.

            Some of the first works we viewed were recorded pieces of performance art in which the subject, which would be one of the artists, would interact freely with a public crowd. The first included Ingrid performing both with movement and sound in sewer water. The most interesting element is how the audience chooses to watch and interact with these brash displays. The second was more interactive with the audience; Robert sits in a fenced area and first makes a display by cutting off all of his hair while blindfolded. He then hangs his hair in bags on the fence and the crowd that has gathered around is invited to take them, and they do. Next, he stands up to the fence and allows those watching to write whatever they wanted directly onto his skin.

            Both pieces cary over the unique feeling that comes with performance art and how the audience interacts with the artists performance.  Overall, it added to the idea that people create ideas and identities for every person, including themselves.  Regardless, they are still willing to explore these notions that identity isn’t always singular, linear, or certain.

            The remainder of the pieces focused more on creating a visual and audible experience through editing. They use video editing in order to blend the bodies of the two artists, and Ingrid vocalizes behind the images with calls that are not trained or forced, but rather the natural sounds she creates. These are featured in her performance art as well.  Overall, these create a series of hypnotic pieces that highlight the fluidity of identity through physical movement and the blending of two bodies.