Linda Montano
Originally trained as a sculptor, Linda Montano began using video in the 1970s. Attempting to obliterate the distinction between art and life, Montano's artwork is starkly autobiographical and often concerned with personal and spiritual discipline. She spent two years in a convent and studied Yoga and Zen. In 1983, Montano and artist Tehching Hsieh were literally tied together for one year in a living performance. Her avowed interest lies in "learning how to live better through life-like artworks," with personal growth evolving out of shared experience, role adoption, and ritual. Exploring a wide range of subjects, from personal transformation and altered consciousness (Primal Scenes, 1980) to hypnosis and eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, 1980), Montano's work from the '70s and early '80s was critical in the development of video by, for, and about women. Her early work includes Mitchell's Death (1978), Handcuff with Tom Marioni (1975), and Characters Learning to Talk (1976-78).
Also see:
Linda M. Montano: An Interview
Available Titles by Linda Montano
Title |
Year | Collection | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always Creative | 2003 | Single Titles |
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| Anorexia Nervosa | 1981 | Early Video Art, Single Titles |
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| Benares | 1998 | Single Titles |
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| Chakraphonics with Jackie Gleason | 1998 | Single Titles |
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| I'm Dying — My Last Performance | 2015 | Single Titles |
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| Learning to Talk | 1978 | Single Titles |
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| Living Art/Dying Art | 2014 | Single Titles |
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| Looking in the Mirror, I See Me — Early Women’s Video Art from the Video Data Bank Collection | 2018 | Curated Compilations, Compilations |
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| Mitchell's Death | 1977 | Early Video Art, Single Titles |
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| My Mother Artist and Teacher | 2016 | Single Titles |
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| On Death and Dying | 1982 | Early Video Art, Single Titles |
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| Primal Scenes | 1980 | Single Titles |
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| The Seven Spiritual Lives of Linda M. Montano | 1996 | Single Titles |
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| The Seven Stages of Intoxication | 1995 | Single Titles |
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| Sharada, Wife of Ramakrishna | 1995 | Single Titles |
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| The Death Tapes | 2017 | New Releases, Single Artist Compilations, Compilations |
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