The artwork, titled “How Not to Be Seen: A Fucking Didactic Educational .MOV File,” was created by Hito Steyerl in 2013. It belongs to the Conceptual Art movement and is categorized within the genre of video art.
The artwork presents a still image from a video, featuring a woman against a background resembling a color test pattern. The woman applies brightly colored green paint to her face, emphasizing elements of visibility and concealment. This deliberate act of painting is imbued with layers of meaning, reflecting on themes of surveillance, digital visibility, and media representation. The use of the term “didactic” in the title suggests that the piece is intended to educate or instruct, albeit in a provocative and subversive manner. The stark contrast between the colorful backdrop and the woman’s actions foregrounds the critique of visibility in contemporary society.
