Janine Antoni Response

Loss and Desire Video

The pieces created by Janine Antoni are all thought-provoking if not a little eccentric in regards to the mediums she uses and the messages she conveys. However, the piece that I took the greatest interest in and was perhaps the most relatable, was her video entitled, "Touch." The idea of being able to walk along the horizon (an impossible feat to be sure) was actually achieved in an artistic form. As Janine walked across the tight-rope it truly looked as though she were walking along the horizon. I enjoy the idea of adventure, exploration, and travel and this piece makes such concepts seem more attainable or more artistically approachable. Such things are emotions that many people have and Janine was able to make them appear within reach by undermining the commonly held belief that one cannot reach the horizon, that it is always in the distance. She incorporates her own body into the piece as a testament to her belief that the human body itself can be used as an instrument in creating art. Upon seeing the video it did cause me to have that feeling of 'eureka' when you are exposed to a new way of looking at a subject that you had previously only seen in a straight forward manner. This piece provides me with a helpful reminder to try and think in a less linear fashion and try to reach for ideas and artistic forms of expression that are less readily available. Ideas that are inspired by even common daily sights but taken in a way that is irregular. These ideas are often some of the most inspiring and encourage evaluation or analysis which in turn leads to new forms of thought.