Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15842
Description: Series of 4.
Measurements: each: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver prints
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Work by Nina Levitt
Conspiracy of Silence
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15834
Description: 4 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1987
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Conspiracy of Silence
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15831
Description: 1 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1987
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Conspiracy of Silence
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15835
Description: 5 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1987
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Conspiracy of Silence
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15833
Description: 3 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1987
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Conspiracy of Silence
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15832
Description: 2 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1987
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15841
Description: 5 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15837
Description: 1 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15838
Description: 2 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15836
Description: Series of 5.
Measurements: each: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photographs
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15839
Description: 3 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Think Nothing of It (Dorothy Arzner & Joan Crawford)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15840
Description: 4 of a series of 5.
Measurements: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1990
Materials: colour photograph
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15845
Description: 3 of a series of 4.
Measurements: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver print
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15842
Description: Series of 4.
Measurements: each: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver prints
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15846
Description: 4 of a series of 4.
Measurements: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver print
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15844
Description: 2 of a series of 4.
Measurements: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver print
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Embrace
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15843
Description: 1 of a series of 4.
Measurements: 50.8 x 40.64 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991
Materials: gelatin silver print
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Submerged (for Alice Austen)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15847
Description:
Measurements: 3: 76.2 x 60.96 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photographs mounted on masonite, pine shelf
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Calamity
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15852
Description:
Measurements: 5.08 framed panels, each: 104.14 x 63.5 cm; 264.16 x 161.29 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photographs with exposed photographic paper
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Submerged (for Alice Austen), detail 2 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15849
Description:
Measurements: 76.2 x 60.96 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photograph mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Submerged (for Alice Austen), detail 4 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15851
Description:
Measurements: 76.2 x 60.96 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photograph mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Submerged (for Alice Austen), detail 1 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15848
Description:
Measurements: 76.2 x 60.96 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photograph mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Submerged (for Alice Austen), detail 3 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15850
Description:
Measurements: 76.2 x 101.6 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1991-1992
Materials: colour photograph mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 2 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15860
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Untitled ( from the Notman Archives), detail 2 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15855
Description:
Measurements: each: 45.72 x 45.72 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photographs mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, installation view
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15858
Description:
Measurements: 13 framed b&w silver prints
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: 5 colour photographs; 13 framed b&w silver prints; 13 engraved brass plaques
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Untitled ( from the Notman Archives), detail 4 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15857
Description:
Measurements: each: 45.72 x 45.72 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photographs mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 5 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15863
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Untitled ( from the Notman Archives), detail 1 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15854
Description:
Measurements: each: 45.72 x 45.72 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photographs mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: 90s-Toronto, Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 1 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15859
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 6 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15864
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Untitled ( from the Notman Archives), detail 3 of 4
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15856
Description:
Measurements: each: 45.72 x 45.72 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photographs mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 4 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15862
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Untitled ( from the Notman Archives)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15853
Description:
Measurements: each: 45.72 x 45.72 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: 11 colour photographs mounted on masonite
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Monde interdit, detail 3 of 6
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15861
Description:
Measurements: colour photograph: 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1992
Materials: colour photograph, framed b&w silver print, engraved brass plaque
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Harbour, detail of Part I, monitor
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15866
Description: A two-part video installation. No Audio.
Part I: Black & white slow motion video sequence played on a monitor depicts the interaction between two young women who are looking at a photograph of a man posing at the beach. Taken from Maëdchen in Uniform, 1931 (Director: Leontine Sagan) a German film about the doomed lesbian love affair between a young schoolgirl and her teacher.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 1997
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Harbour, detail of Part II, film still
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15868
Description: A two-part video installation. No Audio.
Part II: A looped video image projected onto a black & white photograph suspended from the ceiling, about 5 feet away from a wall. The video consistes of a staged colour sequence of my mouth saying the word "harbour", montaged with a clip from Maëdchen. The video image projected onto the suspended photograph spills over onto the back wall of the gallery, creating a spatial rupture in the visual field. An essential aspect of Part II is that the viewer exaggerates or bridges the ruptured image by moving at different angles to the projection.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 1997
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Harbour, Part II, detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15867
Description: A two-part video installation. No Audio.
Part II: A looped video image projected onto a black & white photograph suspended from the ceiling, about 5 feet away from a wall. The video consistes of a staged colour sequence of my mouth saying the word "harbour", montaged with a clip from Maëdchen. The video image projected onto the suspended photograph spills over onto the back wall of the gallery, creating a spatial rupture in the visual field. An essential aspect of Part II is that the viewer exaggerates or bridges the ruptured image by moving at different angles to the projection.
Measurements: video projection: approx. 4' x 5'
Collection:
Date Made: 1997
Materials: film still, Sony CPJ-100 mini video projector, VHS deck
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Harbour, installation view
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15865
Description: Right - Part I; left - Part II.
A two-part video installation. No Audio.
Part I: Black & white slow motion video sequence played on a monitor depicts the interaction between two young women who are looking at a photograph of a man posing at the beach. Taken form Maëdchen in Uniform, 1931 (Director: Leontine Sagan) a German film about the doomed lesbian love affair between a young schoolgirl and her teacher.
Part II: A looped video image projected onto a black & white photograph suspended from the ceiling, about 5 feet away from a wall. The video consistes of a staged colour sequence of my mouth saying the word "harbour", montaged with a clip from Maëdchen. The video image projected onto the suspended photograph spills over onto the back wall of the gallery, creating a spatial rupture in the visual field. An essential aspect of Part II is that the viewer exaggerates or bridges the ruptured image by moving at different angles to the projection.
Measurements: photograph: 35.56 x 27.94 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1997
Materials: 24" monitor, VHS deck, photograph, Sony CPJ-100 mini video projector, tripod
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15872
Description: Video projection of a sequence of women divers spinning, in slow motion, over a sparkling blue swiming pool. Projected onto white vinyl on the floor. Source: Television coverage of 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Women's Diving Competition.
Measurements: video projection: 55.88 x 66.04 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: video projection, mini video projector, tripod, VCR, vinyl floor covering
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15870
Description: Dancers at The Gateways lesbian bar, London. Video loop comprised of two slow motion sequences: a long shot of a crowd of women dancing; cut to a close-up of a young couple dancing cheek to cheek. Source: The Killing of Sister George, 1974, Director: Robert Aldrich.
Measurements: video wall projection: 0.2784 x 0.348 m
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: video wall projection, LCD video projector, VCR
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15874
Description: Looped video projection of the First Woman in Space, Valentina Terechkova, waving and smiling from her Russian space capsule. Projected onto an opaque Plexiglas screen suspended from the ceiling. Viewers can watch the flickering black & white image from both sides. Source: Dateline: 1961/62 Into Orbit, produced by ABC News, New Atlantic Productions, 1982.
Measurements: plexiglass: 33.02 x 22.86 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: mini video projector, tripod, VCR, plexiglass suspended from ceiling
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, installation view of “Spin”
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15871
Description: Video projection of a sequence of women divers spinning, in slow motion, over a sparkling blue swiming pool. Projected onto white vinyl on the floor. Source: Television coverage of 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Women's Diving Competition.
Measurements: video projection: 55.88 x 66.04 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: video projection, mini video projector, tripod, VCR, vinyl floor covering
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, installation view of “Wave”
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15873
Description: Looped video projection of the First Woman in Space, Valentina Terechkova, waving and smiling from her Russian space capsule. Projected onto an opaque Plexiglas screen suspended from the ceiling. Viewers can watch the flickering black & white image from both sides. Source: Dateline: 1961/62 Into Orbit, produced by ABC News, New Atlantic Productions, 1982.
Measurements: plexiglass: 33.02 x 22.86 cm
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: mini video projector, tripod, VCR, plexiglass suspended from ceiling
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity, installation view of “Nostalgia”
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15869
Description: Dancers at The Gateways lesbian bar, London. Video loop comprised of two slow motion sequences: a long shot of a crowd of women dancing; cut to a close-up of a young couple dancing cheek to cheek. Source: The Killing of Sister George, 1974, Director: Robert Aldrich.
Measurements: video wall projection: 0.2784 x 0.348 m
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1998
Materials: video wall projection, LCD video projector, VCR
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Duet video still
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15875
Description: A large video image of a figure unbuttoning and buttoning a white shirt is projected into the corner of a gallery space. With headphones, viewers can hear six brief accounts of passing women told by two overlapping voices.
Measurements: projection, approx.: 0.2088 x 0.2784 m; 0.06264 x 0.08352 m
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1999
Materials: video projection, sound track on headphones
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Duet
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 27313
Description: 1997-1999 [installation documentation, length: 2min 20sec.]
Technical description
A large video image of a figure intermittently unbuttoning and buttoning a white shirt is projected into the corner of a gallery. Fifteen feet away are two unhoused audio speakers playing a sound track of overlapping voices telling brief accounts of passing women. Although there is repetition both in the video image and the audio track, there are subtle changes that occur in the piece as the audio shifts in relation to the image.
[Video Projection] Continuous video loop projected into a corner of a gallery approx. 8' x 6' / LCD Video Projector, VHS deck
[Audio] Continuous audio loop / 6 unhoused full-range speakers or headphones, CD playback deck
Artist's statement
This is a memorial piece about women who, for various social and/or economic reasons, lived their lives disguised as men. Those who assume the clothing, gestures, environments and privileges of men are known as 'passing' women. Although many passing women succeed in living and dying with their biological sex undetected, the stories recounted in Duet are of women whose passing was discovered upon death.
Although passing is often described as a choice women made in order to disguise their gender and/or their sexual preference - a survival strategy rooted in pre-gay liberation times - the women honored in Duet lived from the turn-of-the-century to the mid 1990's. While some artists have recently been interested in celebrating drag as a performative form of queer identity, I am interested in revealing the personal and physical 'costs' of this identity for women and, in particular, lesbians.
This and other video installations by Nina Levitt are distributed by V/Tape, Toronto.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 1997-1999
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Lexicon, detail of video
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15918
Description: Detail of video (button and rotating text).
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2000
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Lexicon, installation view 2 (detail)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15916
Description: Reference Section, Robarts Library, University of Toronto, April 2000.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2000
Materials: 3
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Lexicon, detail of video
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15917
Description: Detail of video showing someone leafing through Geschlechtskunde (Sexual Knowledge) by Magnus Hirschfield, 1926.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2000
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Lexicon, installation view 1
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 15915
Description: Reference Section, Robarts Library, University of Toronto, April 2000.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2000
Materials: 3
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Little Breeze
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 42688
Description: 2002 [installation documentation, length 3min. 16sec.]
[In collaboration with Nicholas Stedman]
A co-production with The Banff Centre, Banff Alberta
An examination of the ephemeral presence of women spies during World War II. This complex interactive project was shaped from stories of British women's resistance and assumed identities. Viewers become active participants in the gathering of (audio) information and the 'decoding' of video images. Through an intimate and tactile relationship with the technology, the viewer's experience and imagination ultimately shaped the layers of imagery, language and metaphor in Little Breeze.
Technical Description
Components:
Upon entering the gallery, visitors see a large video projection of a sequence of portraits of women made of ASCII (ask-ee) code. Eight suitcases of various sizes and colours are huddled nearby. Signs encourage visitors to pick up the suitcases. Suitcases were left in the gallery wherever visitors were finished using them.
How it works:
Each suitcase is equipped with a microcontroller (Basic Stamp 2) that monitors and responds to a user's interaction:
This and other video installations by Nina Levitt are distributed by V/Tape, Toronto.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2002
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Service Records HS 9/1437 and WO 208/3401
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70884
Description: Source: reproduced with permission from The National Archives of the UK
Measurements: 4.4196 cm x 0.7690104 m (20 cm x 2.563368 m)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: 2 ink jet prints
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
view of Parachute (for Hannah Senesh) and Service Records
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70881
Description:
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Quonset Hut (for Vera Atkins), suitcase detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70873
Description: Sources: audio interviews with Vera Atkins from the Imperial War Museum, London. Selected video sequences from Now It Can Be Told, RAF Film Production, 1946.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: vintage suitcases with custom-built electronics
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Parachute (for Hannah Senesh)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70880
Description:
Measurements: 7.2 m diameter x 2.4 m height (when inflated)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: White nylon, vinyl, fans, motion sensor
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Parachute (for Hannah Senesh)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70876
Description:
Measurements: 7.2 m diameter x 2.4 m height (when inflated)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: White nylon, vinyl, fans, motion sensor
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Parachute (for Hannah Senesh)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70877
Description:
Measurements: 7.2 m diameter x 2.4 m height (when inflated)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: White nylon, vinyl, fans, motion sensor
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Parachute (for Hannah Senesh)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70878
Description:
Measurements: 7.2 m diameter x 2.4 m height (when inflated)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: White nylon, vinyl, fans, motion sensor
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Telegrams of Departure
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70882
Description: Source: diary excerpts from Hannah Senesh: Her Life and Diary. (New York: Schocken Books, 1966).
Measurements: 317.5 x 241.3 cm (50 x 96.52 cm) projection
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: Video loop, 5 minutes
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Telegrams of Departure, video still
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70883
Description:
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Parachute (for Hannah Senesh)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70879
Description:
Measurements: 7.2 m diameter x 2.4 m height (when inflated)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: White nylon, vinyl, fans, motion sensor
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Quonset Hut (for Vera Atkins), suitcase detail
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70872
Description: Sources: audio interviews with Vera Atkins from the Imperial War Museum, London. Selected video sequences from Now It Can Be Told, RAF Film Production, 1946.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: vintage suitcases with custom-built electronics
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Service Records HS 9/1437 and WO 208/3401
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70886
Description: Source: reproduced with permission from The National Archives of the UK
Measurements: 4.4196 cm x 0.7690104 m (20 cm x 2.563368 m)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: 2 ink jet prints
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Service Records HS 9/1437 and WO 208/3401
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70885
Description: Source: reproduced with permission from The National Archives of the UK
Measurements: 4.4196 cm x 0.7690104 m (20 cm x 2.563368 m)
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: 2 ink jet prints
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Quonset Hut (for Vera Atkins), view inside hut
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70874
Description: Sources: audio interviews with Vera Atkins from the Imperial War Museum, London. Selected video sequences from Now It Can Be Told, RAF Film Production, 1946.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: Galvanized aluminum, white Plexiglas door
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Full Moon
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70875
Description:
Measurements: 266.7 x 196.85 cm (42 x 78.74 cm) projection
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Materials: Video still, full moon dates during WWII, 17 minutes
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Quonset Hut (for Vera Atkins)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70870
Description: Sources: audio interviews with Vera Atkins from the Imperial War Museum, London. Selected video sequences from Now It Can Be Told, RAF Film Production, 1946.
Measurements: 5.1 x 3 x 2.4 m
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Quonset Hut (for Vera Atkins)
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 70871
Description: Sources: audio interviews with Vera Atkins from the Imperial War Museum, London. Selected video sequences from Now It Can Be Told, RAF Film Production, 1946.
Measurements: 5.1 x 3 x 2.4 m
Collection:
Date Made: 2008
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Gravity
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 49325
Description: 1997-1999 [installation documentation, length 3min. 10 sec.]
A meditation on transgression, subjectivity, risk and loss comprised of five elements (3 video projections and 2 audio systems) installed as distinct stations in a darkened room.
Sonar
The sound of a sonar echo permeates the space emitted from a gray metal public address speaker mounted near the ceiling.
Source: digitally created for Gravity.
ceiling mounted PA speaker, amplifier, CD player
Nostalgia
Dancers at The Gateways lesbian bar, London. Video loop comprised of two slow motion sequences: a long shot of a crowd of women dancing; cuts to a close-up of a young couple dancing cheek to cheek.
Source: The Killing of Sister George, 1974, Director: Robert Aldrich.
10' x 8' video wall-projection, LCD video projector, VCR
Spin
Video projection of a sequence of women divers spinning, in slow motion, over a sparkling blue swimming pool. Projected onto a white surface on the floor.
Source: Television coverage of 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Women's Diving Competition.
22' x 26' image, mini video projector, tripod, VCR, vinyl sheet
Wave
Video projection loop of 'the First Woman in Space', Valentina Terechkova, waving and smiling for the camera from her Russian space capsule. Projected onto an opaque Plexiglas screen suspended from the ceiling. Viewers can watch the flickering black & white image from both sides.
Source: Dateline: 1961/62 Into Orbit, produced by ABC News, New Atlantic Productions, 1982.
mini video projector, tripod, VCR, 9' x 13' Plexiglas suspended from ceiling
Aria
Two unhoused audio speakers form a listening station on the wall. The aria Ebben n'andro lontana plays every 2 minutes at low volume (duration = 4:49).
Source: Golden Opera, Decca Record Co., London, 1993, (from the opera La Wally by Alfredo Catalani, sung by Renata Tebaldi).
2, 8' audio speakers, amplifier, CD player
Spatial variations:
This work has been installed in various gallery spaces in both group and solo exhibitions:
This and other video installations by Nina Levitt are distributed by V/Tape, Toronto.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made:
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Lexicon
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 47754
Description:
Measurements: 1 min 53s
Collection:
Date Made:
Materials: video
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Harbour
Artist: Nina Levitt
Work ID: 49326
Description: 1996 [installation documentation, length 2min. 22sec.]
[A two-part video installation which explores oppositional relations pertaining to lesbian identity.]
Part I consists of a black & white slow motion video sequence played on a monitor. This looped video depicts the interaction between two young women who are looking at a photograph of a man posing at the beach. The potential for reading against a heterosexual construct is available within the particular kind and quality of gestures; a knowing glance...a bond of complicity...a secret contract expressed in the wink of an eye. The clip is taken from Maëdchen in Uniform, 1931 (Director: Leontine Sagan) a German film about the doomed lesbian love affair between a young schoolgirl and her teacher.
Part II consists of a looped video image projected onto a black & white photograph suspended from the ceiling, about 5 feet away from a wall. The video consists of a staged colour sequence montaged with another clip from Maëdchen. The slow motion cycle begins with an extreme close up of a mouth saying the word ?harbor? (there is no audio). Fade to white which dissolves into a film clip from Maëdchen. The film still, also taken from Maëdchen, depicts the protagonist who is the embodiment of transgression and desire in the film. The video image projected onto the suspended photograph spills over onto the rear wall, creating a spatial rupture in the visual field. An essential aspect of Part II is that the viewer exaggerates or bridges the ruptured image by moving at different angles to the projection.
There is no audio in this installation.
This and other video installations by Nina Levitt are distributed by V/Tape, Toronto.
Measurements:
Collection:
Date Made:
Materials:
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
