Pipilotti Rist’s ‘Ever Is Over All’ (1997) involves a video of a woman walking down the road humming a tune. During the carefree, joyful walk, she breaks the window of the cars with a long stalked flower, and this is accompanied by the sound of breaking glass.

Although the woman is the epitome of femininity (wearing a flowing blue dress and holding a flower which Rist has described as ‘clitoric’), she rebels against societal normalities and the video acts as a form of self-liberation of the female. This links to the sexual liberation movement of the 1960s, where there were a series of political campaigns for changes to issues such as reproductive rights, maternity leave, equal pay and sexual violence. A key feature of second-wave feminism was an ’emphasis on unity and sisterhood’. The video can be seen to show the fight for women’s equality, highlighted by the acknowledgement of the woman by the passing female police officer, who doesn’t try to stop the chaos but instead seems to endorse the forbidden act; through this the two female figures seem united and powerful.

During the 1990s in which the video was created, the rise of third wave feminism was prominent. This built on the rights gained by the second-wave. The rise of the feminist punk subculture, the use of Internet, blogs and zines allowed women to express their dissatisfaction with society and show that women’s issues were still very relevant. Many female artists, such as the Guerilla Girls, created art which exposed female stereotypes. Rist’s video can be seen to similarly draw from these stereotypes and reject the expectations embedded in society of how women are expected to act.

The third wave redefined women and girls as assertive, powerful, and in control of their own sexuality. In popular culture this redefinition gave rise to icons of powerful women, for example the singer Madonna. Second and third wave feminism also worked to desexualise the female body. Giving women more power and control over their own reproductive rights allows them to have more control over their lives and have the same lives as men without having to worry about unwanted childbirth. ‘Ever Is Over All’ links to the desire for erotic, emotional and social freedom which was prominent in the 1960s. Rist does not objectify the female body in her works, similar to artists of the 1960s and 70s who used the body as a medium in their art, for example Yoko Ono’s 1970 ‘Fly’ video. The bold, personal inclusion of the body instead empowers the female. This is similar to Rist’s use of the female in ‘Ever is Over All’ due to the woman’s confidence and cheerful state.

Although some post-feminists believe that gender equality has been reached, Rist’s video can be seen to reject this idea, rebelling against male dominance in the world (perhaps signified by the breaking of car windows or the phallic imagery of the long flower). Rist’s video is referenced in Beyonce’s 2016 ‘Hold Up’ music video, where the idea of the empowerment of women and gleeful feminine destruction and subversion of gender norms is shown to still be relevant to society today.

Bibliography:
MoMA, Pipilotti Rist Ever is Over All 1997, Available from: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/81191 [Accessed 26/11/17]

Oxford Dictionaries, Feminism, Available from: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/feminism [Accessed 26/11/17]

Brunell, L. Encyclopedia Britannica, The Third Wave of Feminism, Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism/The-third-wave-of-feminism [Accessed 27/11/17]

Burkett, E. Encyclopedia Britannica, Feminism, Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism#toc216008 [Accessed 27/11/17]

Ferroa, S. (2014) Pipilotti Rist Ever is Over All 1997, Available from: https://sabrinaferraoblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/pipilotti-rist-ever-is-over-1997/ [Accessed 2711/17]