Private I

Over the last five decades, artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman Leeson has been internationally acclaimed for her art and films. Hershman Leeson is widely recognized for her innovative work investigating issues including: the relationship between humans and technology, identity, surveillance, and the use of media as a tool of empowerment against censorship and political repression.

• Chapter 1       ORIGINChapter 2       AN UNEDUCATIONChapter 3       CYBORGSChapter 4       A BRUSH WITH RACEChapter 5       COLLEGE COLLAGEDChapter 6       REVOLUTIONChapter 7       UNRESTChapter 8       CHANCEChapter 9       REINVENTIONChapter 10     ROBERTAChapter 11     RANDOMNESSChapter 12     REHEARSALSChapter 13     ROBERTA REDUXChapter 14     REHEARSALS REDUXChapter 15     THE FLOATING MUSEUM, 1974–1978Chapter 16     RUNNING FENCE, 1974–1976Chapter 17     WINDOWS, 1976    Chapter 18     PLEASE TOUCHChapter 19     EXORCISMSChapter 20     TRAUMA’S PROGENYChapter 21     COMMISSION!       Chapter 22     NOW WHAT?Chapter 23     FORKING PATHS, 1984Chapter 24     COLLECTEDChapter 25     NOT ART—AGAIN!Chapter 26     DOING TIMEChapter 27     !WOMEN ART REVOLUTION (!WAR), 1968–2010Chapter 28     HOME AGAINChapter 29     TIME SHOWS US WHAT WE CANNOT SEE AT THE TIME         Chapter 30     TIMING

“Lynn Hershman Leeson’s universe is the super-radical and unstoppably empowered kindergarten of all our wildest dreams: where no limit exists to our optimism and curiosity, where even our intellects can bask in glee and play.”—Tilda Swinton“I see in Lynn’s work: revolution in action, revolution in a frame, revolution at the speed of light as it tries to capture light. Lynn’s intelligence: lightning in a bottle with the cap almost coming off always because her energy is too great to contain, and no one medium can contain it, let alone one persona. So much to learn, to think about and observe.”—Hilton Als“Lynn Hershman Leeson has always been ahead of the pack in her fusion of art and science. As early as the 1960s she foresaw the technology-permeated world of today. She was making computer-based work in the 1970s, and went on to experiment with artificial intelligence and virtual reality as art media. At a time when so much new art feels so old, this work feels like the future, which is now.”—Holland Cotter, The New York Times“In our current age of digital avatars, technological surveillance, and turbulent identity politics, few artists seem as relevant—and arguably as oracular—as Lynn Hershman Leeson.”—Robert Slifkin, The Art Review“Spanning half a century, the pioneering art of America’s Lynn Hershman Leeson is strange, beautiful and, best of all, funny.”—Laura Cumming, The Guardian“Lynn Hershman Leeson was the originator of our current artistic zeitgeist, and the first to explore many of the groundbreaking ideas that shape our current reality. I’m grateful to Lynn for showing me what it means to subvert the mainstream and create on my own terms. Lynn was there, let the people know!!”—Martine Syms“Lynn Hershman Leeson is one of the most influential media artists of our times.”—Rudolf Frieling, Curator of Media Arts at SFMOMA“It is fair to make the claim that Hershman Leeson was several decades ahead of her time, for she saw the potential of media to subvert itself.” —Lisa Long, Artistic Director of the Julia Stoschek Foundation