top of page
OLIVIA MADAY
Video Artist
WOMAN IN RED
2023
2:13 MINUTE CYCLE
TWO-CHANNEL VHS VIDEO WITH TWO CRT TVS
Woman in Red is a two-channel video installation exhibited on two CRT TVs. The work explores the theme of the cannibalized female body in film and media and seeks to reclaim this objectified body by challenging the entrenched sexual power dynamics that have been constructed through these historic portrayals. By reclaiming and representing the female body in a manner that emphasizes its autonomy and agency, this work challenges the viewer to question their own relationship to gender and sexuality in the context of media representation.
The images of a woman in a red dress reflect the visual language of contemporary advertisements, thus exploring the complex interplay between female identity, societal expectations, and the objectifying nature of media. The faint singing of a woman subtly intertwines with the idealistic twirling of the red dress, creating a fleeting moment of on-screen fantasy. This allure is abruptly disrupted however, by screen glitches and unsettling visuals, generating a dissonance that challenges the initial impression. The use of CRT TVs further act as a sculptural reminder of the historic influence of film and media itself--as objects invited into homes of the mass public, they become conduits for the harmful violation of women's bodies.
bottom of page