Kate Gilmore

Born 1975 in Washington, DC
Lives and Works in New York, New York

Kate Gilmore’s work explores themes of displacement, struggle, and female identity. She is the sole protagonist in her performative videos, in which she attempts to conquer self-constructed obstacles.

For this work, Gilmore’s obstacle is a tall column made of sheetrock which she tries to climb by kicking and punching holes into its walls. As in most of her work, Gilmore’s attire is at odds with the brute physical labor she performs. She works through the limitations imposed by her feminine clothing—high-heels and a polka-dot dress—with sheer muscle power and desperate determination. Shot in one take, the outcome of her endeavor is unknown before the performance begins. Gilmore’s tragicomic displays posit physical situations as metaphors for conflicts and social obstacles women face today.

Read About the Artist

Artist's website

"Marilyn Minter Interviews Kate Gilmore"
—Creative Times (Summer 2009)

"Introducing: Kate Gilmore"
—Modern Painters (March 2009)

"Goings on About Town: Kate Gilmore"
—The New Yorker (January 2009)

"Art in Review; Kate Gilmore"
—The New York Times (January 2009)

"The Listings; Kate Gilmore"
—The New York Times (November 2006)