This activity should only take about one class day, and is part of a 2-day Valie EXPORT unit. The Valie EXPORT unit fits in with a broad week-long unit entitled “Through her Lens”
Frame and Preparation
Title
Conceptual Frames and Background
- The work of VALIE EXPORT sought to recapture the female body for the woman, which EXPORT suggests had been taken from her by the patriarchy and the male gaze. In this unit, you should explore every aspect of EXPORT’s films and photography- who is looking? How are we seeing the body, and how is the body acting? How is the way we look through EXPORT’s lens different from what we are used to? Her art is all about disruption, and the instructor should attempt to stop, recognize, and discuss this disruption wherever possible. This can be disruption about the body, sex, the workplace, and power.
Introduction
Like in the United States in the second half of the 20th century, Austria was experiencing a fight for women’s liberation. During this time, radical women artists produced films, photography, and performance art which embraced their agency and power, and which questioned the patriarchal, Catholic, traditional social structure of postwar Austria. Valie EXPORT was, and still is, one of these artists.
Preparation
Students should watch this interview with VALIE EXPORT. As they watch, they should take notes and answer these questions:
- Why did EXPORT change her name, and what is the meaning of her new name?
- How does she describe the purpose of her art? There are many correct answers.
- Describe her photography that is shown in the interview.
Additionally, students should look at the series of photographs from her series Körperkonfigurationen. Simply have them take notes on what they think EXPORT is trying to demonstrate or say in the photo series, and have them briefly describe their favorite one, including the title. Students should also attempt to answer the question- Warum heißt die Fotoserie Körperkonfigurationen?Finally, students should watch this short 1 Minute clip, which is also shown in the interview, showing and discussing Tapp und Tastkino.
The instructor can also access a Google Doc version of this lesson plan which includes more pictures here.
Text and Discussion
Students should begin by discussing their thoughts and responses to the short VALIE EXPORT interview. Go over the answers with the students as a class.
Next, open the photographs that students reviewed for homework. Open the floor for discussion, using these questions to start:
- What is the setting of these photographs? What is the significance of the location?
- This series is deliberately set in an urban environment, specifically in Vienna. The purpose of this was to explore the ways in which the human, specifically female, body fit or did not fit into man-made environments. In other words, the cities we built are not built for us.
- The specific locations are also chosen deliberately- some are famous landmarks throughout the city, invoking Austrian history and politics, locations also include her apartment complex, as well as hubs or transit centers like an UBahn station.
- Followup question: Is the female body more often associated with nature, or with the city? Why do we think this is, and how does that play into what EXPORT is showing us?
- How would you describe the way EXPORT poses for the photographs? Does she look natural, or unnatural? Why, and why is she posed like this?
- Likely students will say that she looks uncomfortable and unnatural, which again exemplifies how manmade environments are not for us. The human body does not “fit” into spaces created for production, power, capitalism.
- Knowing what you now know after the discussion, ask students to discuss and explain why the photo series is titled Körperkonfigurationen.
Discussing Tapp und Tastkino (1968-71):
Before you begin, rewatch the video with students in class while they look over whatever notes they took for homework. While watching, ask them to think about EXPORT’s intention with her photo series, and follow up the video by asking students to discuss how Tapp und Tastkino discusses similar themes to Körperkonfigurationen.
Next, open the floor for discussion. During discussion, project an image of Tapp und Tastkino, either a still from the video or the attached image here. Below are discussion questions to get the conversation started:
- Based on what you are seeing in the video, what is EXPORT doing?
- How does this piece of performance art (Aktionskunst) challenge gender roles and power structures? Who has the power in this situation?
- Unlike in male film/photography or in everyday physical encounters, EXPORT has control over the situation. Although they are breaking the social boundaries, both parties have consented to the touch, and as we see in the video, EXPORT holds a stopwatch to tell the toucher when their time is up. Because of the number of onlookers, the toucher has more pressure to follow her guidelines.
- Whereas women are often thought of as compromised in these situations, EXPORT’s confidence as well as the crowd of onlookers/potential participants may be more focused on the people who decide to break social norms and touch her.
- EXPORT discusses that the gaze is what is most important in this work. Who is gazing at whom, and more importantly, what is being revealed and concealed in the exchange?
- EXPORT and the toucher make eye contact while the touch goes unseen. As EXPORT describes, only the two of them know what is or is not happening inside the box.
- The touch as well as the female body are concealed by the box, and thus what is revealed is the toucher and their desire/curiosity, as well as EXPORT’s agency. Normally, the gaze would drift towards the touch or the fetish object, but since those are concealed, one has no choice but to confront the face of the one being touched, and the one touching.
Discussing Aktionshose: Genitalpanik (1969-82)
Warn students that the next image is somewhat graphic. Project Aktionshose: Genitalpanik for students to look at and discuss. Without describing the image, share with students where EXPORT performed this performance art and took the photo. This was described in the interview, but can be repeated in your words for students to listen to.
Es wird erzählt, dass EXPORT 1969 ein Kino in München besucht hat, in dem viele bekannte Künstlerinnen Kunstfilme geschaut haben. EXPORT ist durch den Sitzreihen in ihrer “Aktionshose” gegangen und hatte ein Maschinengewehr in der Hand, genauso wie in dem Foto. Der Ausschnitt in ihrer Hose war auf Augenhöhe mit dem Publikum.
Der Grund dafür war, Frauen in Kinos wieder aktiv statt passiv zu machen. Während Frauen in Filmen normalerweise ruhig auf der Leinwand stehen, wollte EXPORT, dass Frauen Kontrolle im Kino zurücknehmen.
How would you describe the different parts of this photo: EXPORT’s stance, her clothing, her grooming, and the setting?
- Students might describe her as masculine, dirty, intimidating, unhinged, powerful. Ask them in return to describe why they see her like this.
What kind of person or character would you expect to pose like this, or have you seen someone pose like this before?
- Students might say that she looks like a cowboy, a gangster/mobster. Students should think about how they might describe those men who pose like this.
EXPORT’s intent with this photo was to instill fear. Thus the name Genitalpanik. What about this photo might cause fear, and why do you think it is called Genitalpanik?
- There is no right answer here. It is important that students know EXPORT wanted the cutout in her jeans to cause fear and not necessarily the gun. Otherwise, students can explore answers on their own.