Semiotics of the Kitchen

Copied Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975, single-channel video, black and white, sound; 06:09 minutes, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by the Ford Motor Company, 2008.21.7, © 1975, Martha Rosler. Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix, NY

Artwork Details

Title
Semiotics of the Kitchen
Artist
Date
1975
Location
Copyright
© 1975, Martha Rosler. Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix, NY
Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Ford Motor Company
Mediums
Mediums Description
single-channel video, black and white, sound; 06:09 minutes
Classifications
Highlights
Subjects
  • Occupation — domestic — cooking
  • Architecture Interior — domestic — kitchen
  • Object — other — cookware
Object Number
2008.21.7
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2008.21.7

Artwork Description

In unsmiling deadpan, Martha Rosler parodies the role of the perfect TV housewife and cook. Running through an alphabet of kitchen utensils, she demonstrates each for the camera. Her gestures of hacking and stabbing are at times unnerving--thinly veiled expressions of frustration and rage. Rosler has said of this performance, "As the woman speaks, she names her own oppression."

A conceptual artist who has worked in many different mediums, including video, photography, and performance, Rosler made numerous pieces in the 1970s examining media representations of women's roles.