Mirage

Mirage was designed for the Anthology Film Archives screening room in New York's SoHo neighborhood. Joan Jonas performed this piece over several nights in front of an audience of friends, which included local artists, musicians, and dancers. The performance featured projections of Jonas drawing and erasing on a chalkboard, alongside a documentary loop of erupting volcanoes and footage of a television turned on its side.

This work represents the culmination of Jonas's black and white video performances. In 2001, she revisited Mirage, creating a new silent version that combined elements from earlier performances, chalk drawings, and television footage. The evolution of the piece demonstrates Jonas's exploration of different media and techniques in the realm of video art.