Abstract
Inspired by the phrase the American dream, this thesis, An American violence, aims to analyse Niklas Goldbach’s Land of the Sun and A Date with Destiny as critical discourse of the American society today. As the title covers, I am perusing to critique the violence within late capitalism and neoliberal economy, often referred to as the American dream. Rather than analysing Goldbach’s videos as aesthetic production, I argue that his production works as a commentary on bigger political questions. Through my thesis I argue that Goldbach provides critical theory on the American wilderness and man’s use of natural territories. For this reason the thesis includes theory of utopias such as the promise of the American dream, nostalgia, slow violence and necropolitics, neoliberalism, as well as postmodernism and architecture. This thesis aims to provide an interdisciplinary understanding of Niklas Goldbach’s commentary, and the stories of heritage offered through the media screen. I will also contextualize his video art though other similar artists, some although similar in style they differ in their commentary.