This paper is the study of androgyne allegory in Rebecca Horn's performance
and various attempts of her different works. Horn denied the traditional
interpretation of gender and she also denied its role. He used various methods and
media to lead people into different interpretations and understandings, and also
preferred allegoric metaphors instead of direct expressions. Horn's such androgynous
art is expressed into four themes.
First, her motive came from the Greek mythologies and she was also
interested in homosexuality. Second, Horn was a feminist who wanted to a void
violence. She did not want to be controlled but wanted everyone to become one
as an equal human. The reason she was interested in androgyne was that this
theme was allowed to be discussed by men but not by women. Third, she
believed that androgyne is connected with chemistry. She showed the possibility of
transformation through alchemistic processes. At last, Horn, who was interested in
technology and mechanism , personified machines for expressing sensation. The
period she expressed androgyne in mechanical context was for a short time,
showing present androgyne. The androgyne she expressed is only shown during
the mechanical process. Therefore, she is telling the audience that androgyne is
not a constantly on-going process.
The machines Rebecca Horn is showing the audience do not show their
gender. They are all male but female at the sametime. She wanted to show the
traditional patriarchism and men superiority along with female superiority. She
emphasized on the differences of the gender and expressed them as hybrids. Horn,
who expressed her experiences and thoughts through mechanismand Androgyne,
opened up a possibility of development to modern art and arteducation.