Intention. Must we mean what we say, do we say what we mean? ; Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto; 16-17/4/86

The speaker draws on a number of theorists and artists to weave a complex argument regarding the status of the woman as universal.

Manet?s Olympia is often cited as a ground breaking representation in support of the singular woman. However, one must stay attentive to the particularities of the artist who is after all a man. Did he really demolish the canon of the universal woman if he used classical references to espouse the prostitute? For the Venice Biennial of 19966 the French censors had the title of Godard?s film changed from La Femme Mariee to Une Femme Marie. The thesis of universality is challenged, the censors found Godard?s commentary on a particular woman more acceptable than that same narrative applied to the married woman is society per se. The speaker continues by drawing on examples including Cindy Sherman and uses Lacanian theory to unpick the feminist position on universality. Kant asserts that the universal voice is but a fantasy, overpowered by the actual subjectivity of taste. The impossibility of universality, of one?s innate singularity of taste, is the only uniting force in postmodern society- freedom and duty