Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-

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American sculptor and installation artist.

From the description of Lynn Hershman Leeson archive, 1979-2003. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 318092232

Biographical Note

Lynn Hershman Leeson (b. 1941) is a performance artist and filmmaker who, in various media, has investigated the idea of selfhood and what establishes an individual as a sentient, gendered, unique person. Between the years of 1974 and 1978, Hershman Leeson spent much of her time performing as an alter ego, the character Roberta Breitmore. Much of the work--drawings, photographs, clothing, medical records, letters, etc.--Hershman Leeson produced during the Breitmore years related to the character's emotional and practical existences. Hershman Leeson seemed to be demonstrating that the two existences could and should not be easily separated--nor should the artist herself be easily separated from the character she created. Hershman Leeson's work in film, video, and new media has been equally focused toward exploring the ways that bodies interact and define themselves. Lorna (1983-84), described by the artist as "the first interactive video art disc," allowed the viewer to experience the emotions of the title character while also, at key points, making important decisions for her. The viewer was both entwined with and removed from Lorna's life. In the 1980s and 90s, Hershman continued to focus on new media, expanding her work in video and creating online environments that incorporated artificial intelligence. Concurrently, she began to direct feature films; her first film, Conceiving Ada (1997), situated the nineteenth-century computer science innovator Ada Lovelace in juxtaposition with the twentieth-century computer reality that she helped to create. A winner of numerous awards and honors for her contributions to art practice, Hershman Leeson is currently Chair of the Film Department at the San Francisco Art Institute. She is Professor Emerita at the University of California, Davis, and an A.D. White Professor at large at Cornell University. !Women Art Revolution reflects years of interviews that Hershman Leeson has compiled in order to tell the story of the feminist art movement in the artists' own words.

From the guide to the Lynn Hershman-Leeson Papers, 1976-2004, (Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Proxemics [videorecording] : a study of body language / Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Women Art Revolution: video intrviews, 1990-2008. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Works on paper by Lynn Hershman-Leeson, 1966-1977, and undated. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Lynn Hershman-Leeson papers, 1966-2003. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Binge [videorecording] / director, writer, performer, Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Lynn Hershman-Leeson Papers, 1976-2004 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Prisoner of paradise [videorecording] / Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Eye witness [videorecording] / Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Tamblyn, Christine. Christine Tamblyn papers, 1962-1998 (bulk 1976-1997). University of California, Irvine. Library. Department of Special Collections
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn Hershman, Lynn : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn Christine Tamblyn papers, 1962-1998, (bulk 1976-1997) University of California, Irvine. Library. Department of Special Collections
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. PAD/D pamphlet file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Lynn Hershman Leeson archive, 1979-2003. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Women art revolution : videotape interviews by Lynn Hershman-Leeson for film, 1990-2008. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Women Art Revolution : videotape interviews by Lynn Hershman-Leeson for film, 1990-2008, 1990-2008 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. New time [videorecording] / Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Hershman-Leeson, Lynn, 1941-. Zhu Zha and the muse [videorecording] / Lynn Hershman. Getty Research Institute
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Antin, Eleanor. person
associatedWith Antoni, Janine. person
associatedWith Baca, Judith Francisca. person
associatedWith Brodsky, Judith K. person
associatedWith Brodsky, Judith K. person
associatedWith Butler, Cornelia H. person
associatedWith Butler, Cornelia H. person
associatedWith Chicago, Judy, 1939- person
associatedWith Da Costa, Beatriz person
associatedWith Da Costa, Beatriz. person
associatedWith De Bretteville, Sheila. person
associatedWith Edelson, Mary Beth person
associatedWith Edelson, Mary Beth. person
associatedWith Fox, Howard. person
associatedWith Grode, Susan A. person
associatedWith Guerrilla Girls person
associatedWith Guerrilla Girls (Group of artists) corporateBody
associatedWith Hammond, Harmony person
associatedWith Hammond, Harmony. person
associatedWith Heiss, Alana. person
associatedWith Heiss, Alanna person
associatedWith July, Miranda, 1974- person
associatedWith Kanarek, Yael. person
associatedWith Kelley, Mike, 1954- person
associatedWith Kelley, Mike, 1954-2012. person
associatedWith Kollwitz, Kathe person
associatedWith Kozloff, Joyce. person
associatedWith Kushner, Robert, 1949- person
associatedWith Kushner, Robert, 1949- person
associatedWith Lacy, Suzanne. person
associatedWith Leduc, Violette person
associatedWith LEESON, LYNN HERSHMAN, 1941. person
associatedWith Levrant de Bretteville, Sheila person
associatedWith Lippard, Lucy R. person
associatedWith Lippard, Lucy R. person
associatedWith Lutovich, Gerald, person
associatedWith Pindell, Howardena, 1943- person
associatedWith Rainer, Yvonne, 1934- person
associatedWith Reilly, Maura. person
associatedWith Rich, B. Ruby. person
associatedWith Ringgold, Faith. person
associatedWith Rose Goldsen Archive of New Media Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Rosenthal, Rachel, 1926- person
associatedWith Rosler, Martha. person
associatedWith Roth, Moira person
associatedWith Roth, Moira. person
associatedWith Sackler, Elizabeth A. person
associatedWith Sackler, Elizabeth A. person
associatedWith Schapiro, Miriam, 1923- person
associatedWith Schneemann, Carolee, 1939- person
associatedWith Sims, Lowery Stokes. person
associatedWith Spero, Nancy, 1926-2009. person
associatedWith Tamblyn, Christine. person
associatedWith Tucker, Marcia person
associatedWith Tucker, Marcia. person
associatedWith Utterback, Camille, 1970- person
associatedWith Vicuña, Cecilia. person
associatedWith Vicuña, Cecilia person
associatedWith Wilding, Faith person
associatedWith Wilding, Faith. person
associatedWith Wilson, Martha, 1947- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Art, American
Art
Feminism and art
Installations (Art)
Women artists
Women motion picture producers and directors
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1941-06-17

Americans

English

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