"The work of Miranda July-the most impressively cross-disciplinary artist of her generation-is brought into focus in this mid-career retrospective. From her early rarely seen Riot Grrrl-influenced fanzines and performances to a career that has produced seminal films, fiction, sculptures, public art, and even a smartphone app, Miranda July has proven adept at articulating the poignancy and humor of the human plight while also achieving enormous acclaim along the way. This volume offers a close look at July's performance and video projects, award-winning films, digital multimedia, and written works, showcased via photography, stills, and archival ephemera, and narrated by friends, collaborators, curators, assistants, and audience members. It includes behind-the-scenes commentary from such figures as David Byrne, Spike Jonze, Lena Dunham, Carrie Brownstein, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, as well as by July herself, and reveals an intimate perspective on the process, struggles, and grit involved in forging one's own path"--
Filmmaker. Author. Performer. Shopkeeper. Miranda July--the most impressive cross-disciplinary artist of her generation--is brought into focus in this career-spanning retrospective.
Regardless of the medium, July's daring, urgent, and idiosyncratic voice finds unexpectedly accessible forms that reflect the poignancy and strangeness of the human plight. In film, fiction, performance, public art, commerce, and even a smartphone app, July deftly explores themes of inclusivity, desire, fear, and fantasy. This chronological survey spans the artist's entire career to date, including her early plays and fanzines, participatory works, and personal projects which illuminate the multidimensionality and timeliness of her work.
Miranda July is brought to life in an introductory interview with Julia Bryan-Wilson and candid recollections by friends, collaborators, curators, assistants, and audience members: Carrie Brownstein, David Byrne, Spike Jonze, Sheila Heti, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and July herself. This revealing, insightful commentary provides an intimate perspective on the artist's ever-evolving process. July may be impossible to categorize, but the enduring importance of her work and her status as an essential cultural icon is irrefutable.
