Joan Jonas on Mirage Installations

Interview

Joan Jonas on Mirage installations interviewed by Kristin Poor, April 19, 2019

Transcript

• “Joan Jonas on Mirage installations, interviewed by Kristin Poor, April 19, 2019 (Interview Transcript).” Joan Jonas Knowledge Base, Artist Archives Initiative, 2021.

Abstract

The interview begins with Jonas speaking about the evolution of Mirage and its components from a performance to an installation [00:26–02:32]. From here, Jonas discusses the decision to make an installation at the Stedelijk Museum and her collaboration with curator Dorine Mignot in this regard [02:37–05:35]. From here, Jonas goes into detail about the process of selecting and arranging the objects included in the different installations presented at the Stedelijk [05:36–07:36]. The conversation shifts to focus on Mirage specifically, and Jonas talks about how the Mirage installation changed from its first iteration to the installations presented at the Whitney Museum in 2001, at the Queens Museum in 2003, and at Yvon Lambert in 2005 [07:38–14:05]. The artist also discusses the props she gave to MoMA when they acquired Mirage as well as the instructions she provided for installing the piece [14:06–15:48]. This turns into Jonas sharing her concerns about having other institutions, such as the Stedelijk and the Whitney, owning her work [15:53–18:30]. From [18:37–19:20] Jonas speaks about the process of installing a piece with a museum and gives some advice for museum staff [19:23–19:47]. Going back to the various installations of Mirage, Jonas talks about how she thinks it was particularly well exhibited at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan and at the Malmö Konsthall [19:48–20:31]. From here, the artist discusses which parts of Mirage carried over into her later work [20:39–21:40]. Jonas also speaks about the choice of not including recent documentation of the Mirage performance in the installation [21:43–23:07]. The conversation turns to Jonas sharing her thoughts on future conservation efforts and exhibitions [23:15–24:06] and her main concerns about how Mirage in particular should be installed [24:08– 24:28]. The artist briefly returns to the HangarBicocca and Malmö installations and explains why she found these to be so successful [25:07–26:19]. The interview ends with Jonas sharing who she thinks should be interviewed about the Mirage installation [26:24–26:47].