Gary Hill
Incidence of Catastrophe, 1987-1988

Inspired by Maurice Blanchot’s existentialist novel Thomas the Obscure (1941), Hill portrays the act of reading and the comprehension of language as processes of erosion rather than accumulation. Hill is both author and reader; his exploration of the dialectical relationship between picture and word echoes Blanchot’s belief that literary compositions are organic entities separate from the external world, and that the solipsistic nature of humanity makes real communication almost impossible.

Artwork Info

Artwork title
Incidence of Catastrophe
Artist name
Gary Hill
Date created
1987-1988
Classification
video installation
Medium
single-channel video, color, with sound
Date acquired
1989
Credit
Collection SFMOMA
Camille W. and William S. Broadbent Fund purchase
Copyright
© Gary Hill
Permanent URL
https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/89.114
Artwork status
Not on view at this time.

Other Works by Gary Hill

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