Identity Transfer 3 c. 1968 - 1999

Editor: This is Valie Export's "Identity Transfer 3" from the Tate collection. The choice of materials and the way they're presented create a stark, almost confrontational mood. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: The image compels us to consider the means of production behind identity, both in terms of physical labor and the manufacturing of gendered appearances. The clothing, the jewelry: What societal systems do they represent? Editor: So, you're saying the materials are not just materials but symbols of larger systems? Curator: Precisely. Export is prompting us to question how our identities are constructed and consumed, blurring the lines between art and commodity. Editor: I hadn't considered the consumer aspect so directly, but it makes perfect sense now! Curator: The photograph itself is a product, isn't it? A statement made through material choices. Editor: Thank you for sharing that! Curator: Likewise!