It was a surprise to me that the concept of “intermedia” was used the first time in 1966. It was in 1968 when Breader founded the Intermedia Program at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa, a program he lead until 2000. For me this word is new, however the concept involved in it is not. I understand that Intermedia is dynamic and spontaneous, it changes constantly, evolves if you well. It is an “interdisciplinary art that cannot be imposed or administrated, because… according to Brade it becomes a forced art. “No overall style or philosophy can be created “, because it “depends on the artist inside stress and challenge”.

 I am sharing three pieces of art; a Breder’s video called Saint Bernard, where two word signs are planned, but the result video is a spontaneous play, and a work by Ana Mendieta. Mendieta studied Intermedia in Iowa with Breader and was the model for his famous mirror-nudes series taken in Mexico in 1973. However, knowing the art of Mendieta it is difficult for me to differentiate who influenced who. Ana Mendieta’s work is all spontaneous, unexpected, unusual, highly political and controversial.

Saint Bernard by Hans Breder:



Untitled (Glass on Body Imprints), 1972, Photograph. © The Estate of Ana Mendieta Collection: