Known Unknown

Dublin Core

Title

Known Unknown

Subject

feminist, woman filmmaker, experimental, cancer

Description

Carolee was one of the subjects of Women of Vision. She gave this and other tapes of her film and video work to me for B-roll. I recently re-interviewed her when she had a major retrospective in NYC at PS1. I went to her house upstate and had a memorable day: interview, meal, and she gave me three pairs of shoes (we have the same shoe size!) which I love to walk in. I published an homage to her, Barbara Hammer, and Agnes Varda after their deaths in hyperallegic, and also in the Feminist Media Histories special issue.

Date

1996

Abstract

Plague Column: Known Unknown, 1995 mixed media installation 32 ¼ × 12 in. (81.92 × 30.48 cm) The title refers to a Viennese plague column from the 17th century, in which the bubonic plague is represented as a witch; the victory over disease is imagined as the conquering of an unruly and malignant femininity. Video loops of enlarged permutated cancer cells are juxtaposed with grids of religious icons. The savagery of the witch hunt and of breast cancer itself are unified within the maligned body, both feared and desired. --Carolee Schneemann Foundation

Moving Image Item Type Metadata

Director

Carolee Schneemann

URL

For research, teaching, and educational use please use CONTACT US in About section to make a request for access.

Files

Citation

“Known Unknown,” VHS Activism Archive , accessed May 15, 2026, https://activismvhs.omeka.net/items/show/706.

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