LatexLand

LatexLand is a video art and experimental sound piece written and performed by JaNae Contag and Ryan Black. 

Quasi-imaginary lines divide territories, states, countries, and delineate ownership and authority over land… and the way the land is used. These mapped lines form the basis of control and power that an entity/individual has over its domain, but also are used to construct a property, a plat, a home. “Home Ownership” is an aspiration of the American Dream. Yet, “Land Ownership” connotes the taking, stealing, and enroaching that is hallmark to our own country’s checkered history. Territory and property lines (from border walls to backyard fences) create tension and conflict, but also are the basis of community, refuge, and home. It’s an idiosyncratic construct, especially since the land itself belongs to no one but the earth itself. Latex is an organic material derived directly from tree rubber, and is worn as a “second skin”. 

LatexLand, 2024

Credits:
Composition & Performance: JaNae Contag and Ryan Black
Director: Ryan Black and JaNae Contag
Director of Photography: Kristen Smith
Sound Designer: Ryan Black
Editor: JaNae Contag
Production Assistant: Lilith Sleater
Wardrobe Assistant: Kendra Meinen
Special Thanks: Shir Ende