Islamic Intertext

OnacloV

Artist Statement

Islamic Intertext, a three-channel video installation, is the outcome of 67 interviews I conducted with members of the Australian Muslim community during the years 2003-2005. The interviewees come from 28 countries. In each video they discuss vilification, multiculturalism and jihad. Each screen is devoted to a single issue. As well as exploring how Australian Muslims perceive their position in Australian society, the work investigates how the genre of documentary may be transformed into video installation via the processes of intertextuality and détournement. My work analyses the interviewees' video responses, adopting Julia Kristeva's notion of intertextuality and Guy Debord's tactic of détournement.

The vilification of Australian Muslims since 11 September 2001 is explored in relation to multicultural policy, intended to protect Australians' religious and cultural freedom. The concept of jihad interacts with vilification and the stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists. Australian Muslims are a heterogeneous community and should not be confined by such stereotypes. The interviewees' diverse responses to their experiences since September 11 demonstrate their heterogeneity.

These videos require Quicktime 7. You can download the free viewer here:
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::: Essay: Hijacking Documentary into Video Installation Art :::

::: hi ::: med ::: lo ::: play Vilification

::: hi ::: med ::: lo ::: play Multiculturalism

::: hi ::: med ::: lo ::: play Jihad

::: hi ::: med ::: lo ::: play Interviewee Biographies

Biography

OnacloV is an installation artist. Her PhD examined how the genre of documentary transforms in video installation via the processes of intertextuality and détournement. She has a degree in Visual Art (Honours) from the Australian National University and L’École National Supérieure des Beaux-Arts Paris, as well as a post-graduate Diploma from L’École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts Marseille, France. OnacloV has exhibited her work internationally in France at the ENSBA gallery in Paris 1997 and Marseille 1999; in the USA at the Commencement Art Gallery 2000; in Canada at McGill University 2004; in Australia at the National Gallery of Australia in 2005; The Canberra Contemporary Art Space in 1999 and 2006; M16 2006 and the University of Technology gallery in 2006.