Linda Montano
American, b. 1942
Linda Mary Montano is an American performance artist. During the 1960s, Montano began performing, and by 1971 she was devoting herself exclusively to performance art. Montano moved to San Francisco 1970 with her husband, Mitchell Payne. There she established herself with performances like "Handcuff" (1973 with Tom Marioni) where she was physically tied to other artists, and "Three Day Blindfold" (1974), where she lived for three days blindfolded and had to find her way around. The accidental death of her by-then-ex husband by gunshot wound led to further exploration of art as a healing modality. In her video/performance "Mitchells' Death" (1978), Montano outlines the story: receiving the call, remembering their relationship, waves of care provided by her romantic partner, composer and musician Pauline Oliveros, deciding to attend the funeral. Montano's work investigates the relationship between art and life through intricate, life-altering ceremonies, some of which last for seven or more years. She is interested in the way artistic ritual, often staged as individual interactions or collaborative workshops, can be used to alter and enhance a person's life and to create the opportunity for focus on spiritual energy states, silence and the cessation of art/life boundaries.
American, b. 1942
Linda Mary Montano is an American performance artist. During the 1960s, Montano began performing, and by 1971 she was devoting herself exclusively to performance art. Montano moved to San Francisco 1970 with her husband, Mitchell Payne. There she established herself with performances like "Handcuff" (1973 with Tom Marioni) where she was physically tied to other artists, and "Three Day Blindfold" (1974), where she lived for three days blindfolded and had to find her way around. The accidental death of her by-then-ex husband by gunshot wound led to further exploration of art as a healing modality. In her video/performance "Mitchells' Death" (1978), Montano outlines the story: receiving the call, remembering their relationship, waves of care provided by her romantic partner, composer and musician Pauline Oliveros, deciding to attend the funeral. Montano's work investigates the relationship between art and life through intricate, life-altering ceremonies, some of which last for seven or more years. She is interested in the way artistic ritual, often staged as individual interactions or collaborative workshops, can be used to alter and enhance a person's life and to create the opportunity for focus on spiritual energy states, silence and the cessation of art/life boundaries.
Artist Objects
Mitchell’s Death 2005.9