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Greene Naftali Gallery | 526 West 26th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10001 | USA
Jan. 17 - Feb. 16, 2013
Tony Conrad's Women in Prison, or WiP, starring artists such as Tony Oursler and the late Mike Kelley, explores the peripheral possibilities of film not just as a medium but also as an industry, highlighting a second tier of actors, a low budget aspect, and subversive subject matter. Moreover, the relationship of jailor to prisoner takes a central role, extending Tony Conrad's examination of authority into a social realm. Shot in 1982 and 1983, the video work on view is converted from black and white 16mm film. Selections from six hours of footage, separated by blips and shot changes, depict the antics of oddly indifferent inmates, from nonsensical singing to taunting banter.