Cynthia Maughan (1949-June 13, 2019) was a visual artist who is renowned for her early video art and films. [1] Maughan lived and worked in Los Angeles, California. [1]
Cynthia Maughan was born in Bell, California in 1949. [1] She grew up in Norwalk, California. [2] She attained a Masters in Fine Arts from California State University in Long Beach, California in 1974. [1]
Between 1973 and 1980, Maughan created nearly three hundred short, self-directed performances for the camera in Pasadena, California. [2] These early video works are characterized by their humor and low-fi aesthetic. [2] These videos were often titled descriptively, such as "Tell Three Cats About Jail" (1977-8) and "Two Sticks Mourning At Another Stick's Funeral" (1973-4). [2] Maughan has since cited the artist William Wegman, who was a teacher at California State University as an influence on her decision to try film. [2]
In the 1980s the artist moved into the punk music scene. [2] She was a member of several bands, such as Auto De Fe, the Nihils, Primitive State and The Shrews. [2]
In 2008, Maughan was included in the exhibition, California Video, at the Getty Center. [3]
Maughan died on June 13, 2019. [4]
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