New Media Arts as the recollection and recognition of marginalized identities.
Video essays on 5 BIPOC artists
For centuries, the story of art history has been told predominantly through a Western perspective. This Eurocentric lens has defined the canon, shaping whose voices, identities, and experiences are deemed worthy of recognition. Traditional narratives have often marginalized, distorted, or completely erased the contributions of diverse cultures, perspectives, and communities. But in the contemporary era, New Media Arts and Design are challenging these limitations, providing powerful platforms for the recollection and recognition of historically marginalized identities.
By engaging with New Media Arts, these artists challenge dominant narratives, interrogate systems of power, and create dynamic spaces for reflection, resistance, and representation. These video essays invite you to consider how these works are not just expressions of art, but acts of reclamation—an insistence that marginalized identities be seen, remembered, and recognized in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Click on the images to listen to the video essays!
From Here I Saw What Happened, and I Cried (Carrie Mae Weems, 1995)
From Here I Saw What Happened, and I Cried offers a profound commentary on the ways in which marginalized identities have been rendered invisible, dehumanized, and misrepresented in historical records and media. Through her work, Weems challenges viewers to confront these histories, offering both a reclamation of these narratives and an invitation to engage with the emotional and political dimensions of racial identity. The series stands as a call for recognition, remembrance, and justice for marginalized communities.
Yo Mama (Wangechi Mutu, 2003)
Yo Mama by Wangechi Mutu is a powerful visual statement that confronts the marginalization and misrepresentation of Black women in both historical and contemporary contexts. Through her use of collage, symbolism, and hybridization, Mutu’s work serves as both a recollection of the historical experiences of marginalized identities and a recognition of their strength, complexity, and agency. The work challenges viewers to reconsider how Black women’s bodies and identities have been represented and to engage with a more nuanced and empowering understanding of race and gender.
Never Alone serves as both a recollection and a recognition of marginalized identities by preserving Iñupiaq cultural heritage, amplifying Indigenous voices, and challenging stereotypes through interactive storytelling. The game transforms a traditional oral narrative into a contemporary experience, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge, language, and perspectives are remembered, respected, and shared with a wider audience. By giving players an immersive way to engage with Iñupiaq culture, Never Alone is a milestone in using video games as a medium for cultural education, empowerment, and recognition.
Never Alone (2014)
TV buddha (Nam June Paik, 1974)
Nam June Paik's TV Buddha may not overtly address marginalized identities, but through its exploration of the collision between tradition and technology, it raises significant questions about cultural preservation, hybridity, and the dominance of Western narratives. The work serves as a meditation on the resilience of non-Western identities and traditions in a technologically mediated world, offering a subtle yet profound commentary on the experience of cultural marginalization and the ongoing effort to maintain and recognize these identities amidst global change.
Surface Tension (Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, 1992/2004)
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Surface Tension offers a compelling exploration of surveillance, visibility, and power dynamics. Through its interactive engagement with the viewer, the piece highlights the experience of marginalized identities living under the scrutiny of dominant systems. It reflects on themes of control, recognition, and the dual nature of visibility—both as a means of validation and as a tool of oppression. By encouraging viewers to confront the discomfort of being watched, Surface Tension provokes reflection on the historical and contemporary realities faced by marginalized communities, recognizing their struggle for agency, dignity, and self-definition in a mediated world.