Pipilotti Rist is a visual artist, who works experimentally with installation and video. Her works are a bizarre, surreal exploration of her surroundings known for their vibrant and colourful nature. An essence of play is predominant in her work, by using immersive camera perspective and a vast array of vivid colour, she engages the viewer into her exploratory world.

Born in Switzerland 1962, she studied commercial art, illustration and photography at the university of arts Vienna, then moved on to study at the school of design Basel for video. Whilst attending the school she produced her first well recognised video “im not the girl who misses much”, it shows the artist dancing around in front of a white background repeating the words in the title that were adapted from a john lennon song “happiness is a warm gun. Her movements are energetic and removed from self control, she eventually breaks free from her dress and continues to dance. This work comments on modern life, particularly that for women, moving like a puppet controlled by an overriding commander. Throughout the video the audio and visuals are sped up and slowed down mimicking how time can sometimes drag on or be lost beneath us. I specifically like this video as it has had many different meanings attached to it over time, watching a subject alone with their own thoughts and movements can relate to a wide variety of viewers. This inspired to make work about a solitary experience, the loud noises and overwhelmed flickering image speaks to a person in the moments of self consumption.

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Another video that i will take inspiration from is “Ever is over all”, Rist walks lightly with a bounce in her step down the street holding a large colourful flower, she proceeds to smash car windows as she passes in a joyful purposeful manner. The defiance in this video is something i admire, the liberation in anarchic destruction presents a reluctance to conform or play by the rules. The contrast of the carnage and hypnotic softness reminds me of the rage within feminist art that goes alongside the typical image of a submissive woman in the media.

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