June 30, 2012

Maya Deren’s historic film, The Very Eye of Night, is memorable for its experimental qualities, the mysteriousness of "diving into the abyss", the performative aspects of the dancers. Deren was a trailblazer incorporating many art genres and turning formal and narrative structures inside out and upside down. We chose these artists based upon their practice as it relates to this film.

Politicized by the AIDS epidemic, the censorship of Robert Mapplethorpe’s photography, and issues surrounding identity, the body, and sexuality, Dorit Cypis created multimedia works at the intersection of performance, photography, and social sculpture.