Bruce Nauman

Violent Incident: Man-Woman Segment

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About this artwork

In this video work Bruce Nauman explores violence, gender and behaviour. Set around a simple middle class dining table, the scene quickly escalates into a slapstick fight between a man and a woman. Their actions become increasingly more erratic and aggressive yet also ridiculous and cartoon-like as the video progresses. Nauman explores the ways in which anger can be provoked by others and questions the way we can react to them. Much like many of his other artworks, he employs the use of humour and exaggeration to explore serious and even dangerous topics - he produced this work as a result of his frustration with futile acts of violence in ordinary life. He explains, “The viewer is presented with a hypnotic repetition of pointlessly cruel and destructive violence which is both seductive and alienating.”

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Bruce Nauman (born 1941) American
  • title:
    Violent Incident: Man-Woman Segment
  • date created:
    1986
  • materials:
    Video, monitor, colour and sound (mono)
  • measurements:
    30 mins
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund, 2008
  • accession number:
    AR00577
  • gallery:
  • subject:
This artwork is part of Artist Rooms
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Bruce Nauman

Bruce Nauman