Candice Breitz – You Had Me
How Do Films, TV Series, and Music Shape You and Your View of the World? Experience Candice Breitz’s video works, which critique pop culture’s portrayal of parenthood and put idol worship in the spotlight.
This spring, Kunsten presents two significant works by South African video artist Candice Breitz. Renowned for her socially conscious video installations, Breitz samples recognizable fragments of popular culture to spotlight a reality where mainstream entertainment and social media shape societal norms.
The exhibition features two works from Louisiana’s collection. In Mother + Father (2005), Breitz dissects our understanding of parenthood, revealing how limiting and emotionally charged the narratives presented by Hollywood films often are—stereotypical stories that have unconsciously been accepted as norms over time.
In Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon) (2006), Breitz shifts the focus to everyday fans. Here, 25 amateur singers perform John Lennon’s classic Working Class Hero as a tribute to his iconic music. The work explores how fan culture shapes collective identity and individual values.
Through these works, Breitz poses the question: How do idol worship, films, and music influence your inner life and self-perception? Today, two decades after the creation of these works, they remain strikingly relevant in a time when family structures and social norms are evolving, and we have greater access to our idols than ever before.