Mary Patten | |
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Born | 1951 (age 73–74) |
Nationality | American |
Education | University of Illinois at Chicago, Kansas City Art Institute |
Known for | Video art, writing, education |
Awards | Artadia Grant, Maker Grant, Propeller Fund Award |
Mary Patten (born 1951, Evanston, IL) is a Chicago artist and activist. Her works combine writing, video installation, performance, artists' books, drawing, photography, collaboration, and activism. [1] Her writing, lectures, videos, and artwork deal with the relationship between art and politics, visual culture, queer theory, terrorism, prisons and torture. [2] She has an MFA from University of Illinois at Chicago (1992) and a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute. [3] Her videos are distributed by the Video Data Bank [4] and she teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago as an associate professor in the department of Film, Video, New Media, and Animation. [5] She also teaches in the Visual and Critical Studies department and is currently the Chair of the department of Film, Video, New Media, and Animation (2016). [6]
Mary Patten was a member of DAGMAR (Dykes and Gay Men Against Racism and Repression) that began in 1984 and evolved to become CFAR (Chicago for AIDS Rights), an activist group addressing HIV/AIDS. [2] Patten was one of the founders of ACT UP/Chicago. [15] [16] She is an organizer of the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials (CTJM), aiming to seek justice for survivors of Chicago Police torture and their families. [17] In addition to her work in the LGBTQ communities, Patten has created and curated art for the feminist movement, such as the 2014 exhibit "Bad Girls: Video Program: She Laughed When She Saw It" at the New Museum in New York City. [18] Other projects of Patten include the Madame Binh Graphics Collective, Feel Tank Chicago, WhiteWalls, RIOT GRRRANDMAS!!!, and Bad Girls. [2] She is also a member of the art/activist group Feel Tank Chicago. [19]