Prolific video artist, filmmaker, and photographer, Laurel Nakadate will present selections from her recent work in an closed dialogue with philosopher Ruwen Ogien, known for his compelling, numerous, and potentially controversial texts on morality and ethics. Nakadate’s work, currently on display in a large exhibition at PS1, often makes significant, unusual and complicated demands on her real world subjects, on her art world audience, and, just as regularly, on herself. Questions arise regarding voyeurism, the power of the camera, binaries of exploitation and connection in art, and the social norms of desire. Ogien’s philosophical inquiry will drive the discussion, referencing his extensive writing on topics such as (bio)ethics, pornography, the undesirables in society, commodification and the body, and moral panic.
Laurel Nakadate is a photographer, video artist and filmmaker. She was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Ames, Iowa. She received a B.F.A. from Tufts University and The School of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and an M.F.A. in photography from Yale University. Her work has been exhibited at MoMA, The Yerba Buena, The Getty Museum, and The Reina Sofia. In 2009, her first feature film, STAY THE SAME NEVER CHANGE, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to be featured in New Directors/ New Films at The Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center. Her second feature film, THE WOLF KNIFE, premiered at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival and was nominated for a 2010 Gotham Independent Film Award and a 2011 Independent Spirit Award. Her solo show, “Only the Lonely”, is on view at MoMA P.S.1 until August 8, 2011. She is represented by Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects and lives in New York City.
Ruwen Ogien holds doctorates in philosophy and in social anthropology. He is a director of research in philosophy at the CNRS and sits on the editorial board of the review Raison Publique. His work builds a non-paternalist, “minimal ethics”, which rules out all moral duties to the self and concentrates on the duty not to harm others.
This event is part of
