Your Skin Makes Me Cry
2015.05.15～2015.07.05
09:00 - 17:00
Curators / Olaf Stüber, Leonhard Emmerling Your skin makes me cry. You float like a feather in a beautiful world ... But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here. These memorable lines from the hit song
Creep” by Radiohead provide the thematic framework for the current exhibition programme: on the one hand they convey intimacy – the physical and emotional contact, happiness and pain it involves, as well as the adolescent struggle for selfhood and the ongoing quest for personal identity. On the other, they refer to the social context – to the staging of the self and the shattering of gender stereotypes, as reflected in the works of young visual artists. The examination of gender roles and how they shape identity has become a subject of renewed interest, above all for a younger generation of artists, and is a central concern of contemporary art practice. Students from every German art school were invited to submit recent single-channel videos for the competition
Your Skin Makes Me Cry”. Twenty works were subsequently selected from a total of 234 entries from more than 30 different colleges and universities. They range from highly personal evaluations of the artist’s own role – and the perception of that role within a given framework of social expectations and power structures – to critical appraisals of material found on the World Wide Web; from observations on everyday relationships, sexuality or strained interpersonal relationships to conceptual works on queer identities or gender studies. For all the seriousness of the subject matter, many of the pieces are characterised by a light-hearted, humorous approach to their particular theme.
Your Skin Makes Me Cry” is organized by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, TNUA and the Goethe-Institute Taipei. This video art exhibition is curated by Olaf Stüber and Leonhard Emmerling. It will be available to Goethe-Institutes around the world for exhibitions, screenings, conferences and lectures from October 2014 to December 2019. The project is also intended to provide information about current video art production and media art education at institutions of higher education in Germany. Artists Angela Anzi、Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin、Pawel Bartosik、Mila Burghardt、Maria Dabow、Marlene Denningmann、Barbara Dévény、Philipp Gufler、Andrea Éva Györi、Franziska Kabisch、Bianca Kennedy、Konstantin Kunath、Xenia Lesniewski、Rebecca Loyche、Kristina Paustian、Jasmin Preiss、Undine Sommer、Danny Wagner、Clara Winter／Lina Walde、Helene Wittmann
Creep” by Radiohead provide the thematic framework for the current exhibition programme: on the one hand they convey intimacy – the physical and emotional contact, happiness and pain it involves, as well as the adolescent struggle for selfhood and the ongoing quest for personal identity. On the other, they refer to the social context – to the staging of the self and the shattering of gender stereotypes, as reflected in the works of young visual artists. The examination of gender roles and how they shape identity has become a subject of renewed interest, above all for a younger generation of artists, and is a central concern of contemporary art practice. Students from every German art school were invited to submit recent single-channel videos for the competition
Your Skin Makes Me Cry”. Twenty works were subsequently selected from a total of 234 entries from more than 30 different colleges and universities. They range from highly personal evaluations of the artist’s own role – and the perception of that role within a given framework of social expectations and power structures – to critical appraisals of material found on the World Wide Web; from observations on everyday relationships, sexuality or strained interpersonal relationships to conceptual works on queer identities or gender studies. For all the seriousness of the subject matter, many of the pieces are characterised by a light-hearted, humorous approach to their particular theme.
Your Skin Makes Me Cry” is organized by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, TNUA and the Goethe-Institute Taipei. This video art exhibition is curated by Olaf Stüber and Leonhard Emmerling. It will be available to Goethe-Institutes around the world for exhibitions, screenings, conferences and lectures from October 2014 to December 2019. The project is also intended to provide information about current video art production and media art education at institutions of higher education in Germany. Artists Angela Anzi、Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin、Pawel Bartosik、Mila Burghardt、Maria Dabow、Marlene Denningmann、Barbara Dévény、Philipp Gufler、Andrea Éva Györi、Franziska Kabisch、Bianca Kennedy、Konstantin Kunath、Xenia Lesniewski、Rebecca Loyche、Kristina Paustian、Jasmin Preiss、Undine Sommer、Danny Wagner、Clara Winter／Lina Walde、Helene Wittmann
Curators / Olaf Stüber, Leonhard Emmerling Your skin makes me cry. You float like a feather in a beautiful world ... But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here. These memorable lines from the hit song
Creep” by Radiohead provide the thematic framework for the current exhibition programme: on the one hand they convey intimacy – the physical and emotional contact, happiness and pain it involves, as well as the adolescent struggle for selfhood and the ongoing quest for personal identity. On the other, they refer to the social context – to the staging of the self and the shattering of gender stereotypes, as reflected in the works of young visual artists. The examination of gender roles and how they shape identity has become a subject of renewed interest, above all for a younger generation of artists, and is a central concern of contemporary art practice. Students from every German art school were invited to submit recent single-channel videos for the competition
Your Skin Makes Me Cry”. Twenty works were subsequently selected from a total of 234 entries from more than 30 different colleges and universities. They range from highly personal evaluations of the artist’s own role – and the perception of that role within a given framework of social expectations and power structures – to critical appraisals of material found on the World Wide Web; from observations on everyday relationships, sexuality or strained interpersonal relationships to conceptual works on queer identities or gender studies. For all the seriousness of the subject matter, many of the pieces are characterised by a light-hearted, humorous approach to their particular theme.
Your Skin Makes Me Cry” is organized by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, TNUA and the Goethe-Institute Taipei. This video art exhibition is curated by Olaf Stüber and Leonhard Emmerling. It will be available to Goethe-Institutes around the world for exhibitions, screenings, conferences and lectures from October 2014 to December 2019. The project is also intended to provide information about current video art production and media art education at institutions of higher education in Germany. Artists Angela Anzi、Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin、Pawel Bartosik、Mila Burghardt、Maria Dabow、Marlene Denningmann、Barbara Dévény、Philipp Gufler、Andrea Éva Györi、Franziska Kabisch、Bianca Kennedy、Konstantin Kunath、Xenia Lesniewski、Rebecca Loyche、Kristina Paustian、Jasmin Preiss、Undine Sommer、Danny Wagner、Clara Winter／Lina Walde、Helene Wittmann
Creep” by Radiohead provide the thematic framework for the current exhibition programme: on the one hand they convey intimacy – the physical and emotional contact, happiness and pain it involves, as well as the adolescent struggle for selfhood and the ongoing quest for personal identity. On the other, they refer to the social context – to the staging of the self and the shattering of gender stereotypes, as reflected in the works of young visual artists. The examination of gender roles and how they shape identity has become a subject of renewed interest, above all for a younger generation of artists, and is a central concern of contemporary art practice. Students from every German art school were invited to submit recent single-channel videos for the competition
Your Skin Makes Me Cry”. Twenty works were subsequently selected from a total of 234 entries from more than 30 different colleges and universities. They range from highly personal evaluations of the artist’s own role – and the perception of that role within a given framework of social expectations and power structures – to critical appraisals of material found on the World Wide Web; from observations on everyday relationships, sexuality or strained interpersonal relationships to conceptual works on queer identities or gender studies. For all the seriousness of the subject matter, many of the pieces are characterised by a light-hearted, humorous approach to their particular theme.
Your Skin Makes Me Cry” is organized by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, TNUA and the Goethe-Institute Taipei. This video art exhibition is curated by Olaf Stüber and Leonhard Emmerling. It will be available to Goethe-Institutes around the world for exhibitions, screenings, conferences and lectures from October 2014 to December 2019. The project is also intended to provide information about current video art production and media art education at institutions of higher education in Germany. Artists Angela Anzi、Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin、Pawel Bartosik、Mila Burghardt、Maria Dabow、Marlene Denningmann、Barbara Dévény、Philipp Gufler、Andrea Éva Györi、Franziska Kabisch、Bianca Kennedy、Konstantin Kunath、Xenia Lesniewski、Rebecca Loyche、Kristina Paustian、Jasmin Preiss、Undine Sommer、Danny Wagner、Clara Winter／Lina Walde、Helene Wittmann
Konstantin Kunath Born 1983 in Leipzig, Germany. Has been studying at Dresden Academy of Fine Arts since 2006, where he has been a master-class student of Prof. Monika Brandmeier since 2012. Lives in Dresden and Berlin. X, Y, Supermarket 11’30”, DV video, colour, sound, 2014 In X, Y, Supermarket, an attempt is made to measure the difference between ‘female’ and ‘male’ by comparing the sexes in relation to a supermarket shopping trip. To this end, the shopping trip is broken down into basic actions and converted into a corresponding visual structure, and the same process is carried out with the X and Y chromosomes respectively. These three structures are then represented on a wall using coloured strips of adhesive tape. In this way – according to the narrator and protagonist – an accurate scientific comparison of the sexes is carried out and firm conclusions can thus be drawn from the results.
Konstantin Kunath Born 1983 in Leipzig, Germany. Has been studying at Dresden Academy of Fine Arts since 2006, where he has been a master-class student of Prof. Monika Brandmeier since 2012. Lives in Dresden and Berlin. X, Y, Supermarket 11’30”, DV video, colour, sound, 2014 In X, Y, Supermarket, an attempt is made to measure the difference between ‘female’ and ‘male’ by comparing the sexes in relation to a supermarket shopping trip. To this end, the shopping trip is broken down into basic actions and converted into a corresponding visual structure, and the same process is carried out with the X and Y chromosomes respectively. These three structures are then represented on a wall using coloured strips of adhesive tape. In this way – according to the narrator and protagonist – an accurate scientific comparison of the sexes is carried out and firm conclusions can thus be drawn from the results.
Xenia Lesniewski Born 1985 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Has been studying fine art at Offenbach University of Art and Design since 2005 and at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna since 2010. Hypocentre 14’30”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 The term ‘hypocentre’ refers to the point within the earth where an earthquake originates or the point on its surface where a bomb explodes or a meteorite strikes. Combining analogue and digital techniques, Lesniewski’s 2D animation is an assemblage of visual, linguistic and narrative elements that touches on autobiographical themes and questions but also addresses more universal concerns, presenting garish visions of childhood, eroticism, sexuality, illness, dying, death and techno music.
Xenia Lesniewski Born 1985 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Has been studying fine art at Offenbach University of Art and Design since 2005 and at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna since 2010. Hypocentre 14’30”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 The term ‘hypocentre’ refers to the point within the earth where an earthquake originates or the point on its surface where a bomb explodes or a meteorite strikes. Combining analogue and digital techniques, Lesniewski’s 2D animation is an assemblage of visual, linguistic and narrative elements that touches on autobiographical themes and questions but also addresses more universal concerns, presenting garish visions of childhood, eroticism, sexuality, illness, dying, death and techno music.
Rebecca Loyche Born 1979 in New York City, USA. Studied at Hunter College and Pratt Institute, New York City, and was a master-class student of Prof. Candice Breitz at Braunschweig University of Art in 2011. Lives in Berlin and New York. Profession – Sexual Assistant 12’08”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 In Sexual Assistant, one of Europe’s leading pioneers in the field of sexuality talks about her work. Loyche’s piece addresses the controversial and complex issues surrounding the sexual needs of people who have a physical, social and/or mental disability or handicap. Although society makes efforts to accept the sexual liberation of people in general, those who are handicapped are not acknowledged as sexual beings. Although sexuality should be accepted as a basic human need, the idea of someone who is not considered ‘normal’ by conventional standards having a sexual relationship is either completely ignored or, in the worst case, is regarded as perverted.
Rebecca Loyche Born 1979 in New York City, USA. Studied at Hunter College and Pratt Institute, New York City, and was a master-class student of Prof. Candice Breitz at Braunschweig University of Art in 2011. Lives in Berlin and New York. Profession – Sexual Assistant 12’08”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 In Sexual Assistant, one of Europe’s leading pioneers in the field of sexuality talks about her work. Loyche’s piece addresses the controversial and complex issues surrounding the sexual needs of people who have a physical, social and/or mental disability or handicap. Although society makes efforts to accept the sexual liberation of people in general, those who are handicapped are not acknowledged as sexual beings. Although sexuality should be accepted as a basic human need, the idea of someone who is not considered ‘normal’ by conventional standards having a sexual relationship is either completely ignored or, in the worst case, is regarded as perverted.
Kristina Paustian Born 1985 in Omsk, Russia. Has been studying art and media at Berlin University of the Arts since 2012. Lives in Berlin. Forests and Steppes 3’02”, HD video, b&w, sound, 2013 In Forests and Steppes, Paustian uses the technique of cadrage (framing) – in this case a rhythmic arrangement of image sections, focal points and viewing angles, set to a soundtrack of Debussy’s Minstrels – to transform erotic images from the early days of photography into a sequence of fragmented ‘landscapes’ that appear very briefly and focus the viewer’s attention upon evocative details: hair, hands, breasts, stomachs, legs, couch, carpet... A subtle game of association that recalls the moving images created by the Lumière brothers.
Kristina Paustian Born 1985 in Omsk, Russia. Has been studying art and media at Berlin University of the Arts since 2012. Lives in Berlin. Forests and Steppes 3’02”, HD video, b&w, sound, 2013 In Forests and Steppes, Paustian uses the technique of cadrage (framing) – in this case a rhythmic arrangement of image sections, focal points and viewing angles, set to a soundtrack of Debussy’s Minstrels – to transform erotic images from the early days of photography into a sequence of fragmented ‘landscapes’ that appear very briefly and focus the viewer’s attention upon evocative details: hair, hands, breasts, stomachs, legs, couch, carpet... A subtle game of association that recalls the moving images created by the Lumière brothers.
Jasmin Preiss Born 1984 in Bonn, Germany. Has been studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf since 2007. Lives in Düsseldorf. Spitting Blood 2’54”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 Two smartly dressed young women sit in the lobby of a hotel, flick through a book, eat an apple and casually spit blood at each other. This already quite absurd situation is heightened by the comments of an off-screen narrator and intrusive piano music. Blood, which represents a vital life force but can also – according to ancient superstition – be seen as a symbol of impurity or a carrier of disease, here serves as a means of communication between the two women.
Jasmin Preiss Born 1984 in Bonn, Germany. Has been studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf since 2007. Lives in Düsseldorf. Spitting Blood 2’54”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 Two smartly dressed young women sit in the lobby of a hotel, flick through a book, eat an apple and casually spit blood at each other. This already quite absurd situation is heightened by the comments of an off-screen narrator and intrusive piano music. Blood, which represents a vital life force but can also – according to ancient superstition – be seen as a symbol of impurity or a carrier of disease, here serves as a means of communication between the two women.
Undine Sommer Born 1989 in Konstanz, Germany. Has been studying at Braunschweig University of Art since 2010. Lives in Braunschweig. At the Gallery Owner’s 3’27”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 At the gallery owner’s revolves around a dinner following an exhibition opening at an Amsterdam art gallery, where two older men constantly take photographs of one of the young women artists sitting at the table. Using the stop trick technique to ‘freeze’ individual poses, Sommer focuses our attention on the act of posing and the difficulty of establishing and maintaining one’s position when there is an imbalance of power.
Undine Sommer Born 1989 in Konstanz, Germany. Has been studying at Braunschweig University of Art since 2010. Lives in Braunschweig. At the Gallery Owner’s 3’27”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 At the gallery owner’s revolves around a dinner following an exhibition opening at an Amsterdam art gallery, where two older men constantly take photographs of one of the young women artists sitting at the table. Using the stop trick technique to ‘freeze’ individual poses, Sommer focuses our attention on the act of posing and the difficulty of establishing and maintaining one’s position when there is an imbalance of power.
Danny Wagner Born 1975 in Wernigerode, Germany. Studied fine art at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar from 2002 to 2005, then at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig from 2006 to 2009, and was a master-class student of Prof. Joachim Blank in 2010. Lives in Leipzig. Girls Guns Guys 4’56”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 Girls Guns Guys is a survey of men who film their wives or girlfriends shooting guns. Although the men are not visible on screen, they have a dominant presence through their gaze, the instructions they give and the comments and jokes they make. The young women in the YouTube videos, most of whom are skimpily dressed, represent a confused version of an all-American game involving weapons and sexuality.
Danny Wagner Born 1975 in Wernigerode, Germany. Studied fine art at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar from 2002 to 2005, then at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig from 2006 to 2009, and was a master-class student of Prof. Joachim Blank in 2010. Lives in Leipzig. Girls Guns Guys 4’56”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 Girls Guns Guys is a survey of men who film their wives or girlfriends shooting guns. Although the men are not visible on screen, they have a dominant presence through their gaze, the instructions they give and the comments and jokes they make. The young women in the YouTube videos, most of whom are skimpily dressed, represent a confused version of an all-American game involving weapons and sexuality.
Clara Winter／Lina Walde Clara Winter (born 1989 in Leipzig, Germany) has been studying at the Kunsthochschule Kassel since 2009. Lives in Kassel. Lina Walde (born 1983 in Bielefeld, Germany) studied at the Kunsthochschule Kassel until 2014. Lives in Berlin. Relationship Work 1 8’35”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 The search for a suitable partner in life is here transformed into an art project. Constantly having to perform a balancing act between art projects and paid work can prevent artists from getting involved in emotional relationships, simply due to time constraints, and the line between their private life and artistic practice can become blurred. What remains are project-based friendships and artistic relations – and a longing for emotional connection and love. k technique to ‘freeze’ individual poses, Sommer focuses our attention on the act of posing and the difficulty of establishing and maintaining one’s position when there is an imbalance of power.
Clara Winter／Lina Walde Clara Winter (born 1989 in Leipzig, Germany) has been studying at the Kunsthochschule Kassel since 2009. Lives in Kassel. Lina Walde (born 1983 in Bielefeld, Germany) studied at the Kunsthochschule Kassel until 2014. Lives in Berlin. Relationship Work 1 8’35”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 The search for a suitable partner in life is here transformed into an art project. Constantly having to perform a balancing act between art projects and paid work can prevent artists from getting involved in emotional relationships, simply due to time constraints, and the line between their private life and artistic practice can become blurred. What remains are project-based friendships and artistic relations – and a longing for emotional connection and love. k technique to ‘freeze’ individual poses, Sommer focuses our attention on the act of posing and the difficulty of establishing and maintaining one’s position when there is an imbalance of power.
Bianca Kennedy Born 1989 in Leipzig, Germany. Has been studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich since 2011. Lives in Munich. Confessions of an Observing Mind 5’51”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 In the realm of avatars there is usually no way of knowing who is concealed behind an attractive profile picture, and when you visit websites such as Chatroulette or Omegle you certainly begin to wonder just how trustworthy the chat partners are. The computer seems to be the only remaining neutral entity, but in Bianca Kennedy’s work it, too, begins to play an active role, revealing the secrets of a user named Stella Skarsgård and claiming the right to have a say in her affairs.
Bianca Kennedy Born 1989 in Leipzig, Germany. Has been studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich since 2011. Lives in Munich. Confessions of an Observing Mind 5’51”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 In the realm of avatars there is usually no way of knowing who is concealed behind an attractive profile picture, and when you visit websites such as Chatroulette or Omegle you certainly begin to wonder just how trustworthy the chat partners are. The computer seems to be the only remaining neutral entity, but in Bianca Kennedy’s work it, too, begins to play an active role, revealing the secrets of a user named Stella Skarsgård and claiming the right to have a say in her affairs.
Franziska Kabisch Born 1990 in Münster, Germany. Has been studying at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg since 2009 and began a master’s degree in Critical Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 2014. Lives in Hamburg. A Film 3’34”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 What does a house look like? What image represents a city? Or a country? How does one depict France? And what am I? What would be the designation for me? A person? A woman? A sister? An artist? A client? A patient? A FILM is a film about names, labels and terms, and the problems they can cause.
Franziska Kabisch Born 1990 in Münster, Germany. Has been studying at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg since 2009 and began a master’s degree in Critical Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 2014. Lives in Hamburg. A Film 3’34”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 What does a house look like? What image represents a city? Or a country? How does one depict France? And what am I? What would be the designation for me? A person? A woman? A sister? An artist? A client? A patient? A FILM is a film about names, labels and terms, and the problems they can cause.
Andrea Éva Györi Born 1983 in Budapest, Hungary. Currently studying at Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. Lives in Stuttgart. Emergency Hygiene 3’16”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 Personal hygiene is a basic need of all civilised people. It involves a set of practices aimed at maintaining health and improving wellbeing, which are generally performed in the privacy of one’s own home. In Emergency Hygiene, Andrea Éva Györi appears as an impoverished young artist looking for an opportunity to take a shower. She says she needs to shower in order to feel comfortable, because only then can she be a good artist. In return, anyone who lets her shower in their bathroom may take a photograph of her. A simple work that is satirical but also touching and thought-provoking.
Andrea Éva Györi Born 1983 in Budapest, Hungary. Currently studying at Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. Lives in Stuttgart. Emergency Hygiene 3’16”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 Personal hygiene is a basic need of all civilised people. It involves a set of practices aimed at maintaining health and improving wellbeing, which are generally performed in the privacy of one’s own home. In Emergency Hygiene, Andrea Éva Györi appears as an impoverished young artist looking for an opportunity to take a shower. She says she needs to shower in order to feel comfortable, because only then can she be a good artist. In return, anyone who lets her shower in their bathroom may take a photograph of her. A simple work that is satirical but also touching and thought-provoking.
Angela Anzi Born 1981 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Has been studying time-based media and stage design at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg since 2008. Lives in Hamburg. October in Hamburg 9’37”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 An explosive performance triggers a chain of events that lead to a white stone, criminal proceedings and a young female motorcyclist who seems to be quite familiar with the very confusing situation being described. The verbal account and the images shown tell a story that oscillates between a fictional narrative and a documentary.
Angela Anzi Born 1981 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Has been studying time-based media and stage design at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg since 2008. Lives in Hamburg. October in Hamburg 9’37”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 An explosive performance triggers a chain of events that lead to a white stone, criminal proceedings and a young female motorcyclist who seems to be quite familiar with the very confusing situation being described. The verbal account and the images shown tell a story that oscillates between a fictional narrative and a documentary.
Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin Else Artmann (born 1989 in Regensburg, Germany) has been studying at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig since 2008. She has been a member of the Leipziger Tanztheater dance company since 2009, and has been studying dance at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne since 2012. Lives in Leipzig. Samuel Duvoisin (born 1987 in Berlin, Germany) has been studying at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig since 2008 and has been a member of the Leipziger Tanztheater dance company since 2011. Lives in Leipzig. Touching the Hands with the Body 3’15”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 The touch of the hand is formative: it shapes and defines the outline of the body. The hand’s part in this is deliberate and active, while the body’s role is generally passive and reactive. Artmann and Duvoisin’s performance is an attempt to invert and transform the relationship between the body and the hands: the body touches the passive hand in an awkward and at the same time desirous way. The touched is set in motion.
Else Artmann／Samuel Duvoisin Else Artmann (born 1989 in Regensburg, Germany) has been studying at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig since 2008. She has been a member of the Leipziger Tanztheater dance company since 2009, and has been studying dance at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne since 2012. Lives in Leipzig. Samuel Duvoisin (born 1987 in Berlin, Germany) has been studying at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig since 2008 and has been a member of the Leipziger Tanztheater dance company since 2011. Lives in Leipzig. Touching the Hands with the Body 3’15”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 The touch of the hand is formative: it shapes and defines the outline of the body. The hand’s part in this is deliberate and active, while the body’s role is generally passive and reactive. Artmann and Duvoisin’s performance is an attempt to invert and transform the relationship between the body and the hands: the body touches the passive hand in an awkward and at the same time desirous way. The touched is set in motion.
Pawel Bartosik Born 1989 in Gdynia, Poland. Has been studying visual communication at Berlin University of the Arts since 2011. Lives in Berlin. 180° 2’00”, HD Video, colour, sound, 2013 A woman and a man sit opposite one another at a table in front of a burbling fountain, communicating in a language that is incomprehensible to the viewer. They caw like birds – or are they squawking? In any case they are clearly not having a proper conversation; they are talking past each other. A wonderful satire on the common lack of understanding between men and women.
Pawel Bartosik Born 1989 in Gdynia, Poland. Has been studying visual communication at Berlin University of the Arts since 2011. Lives in Berlin. 180° 2’00”, HD Video, colour, sound, 2013 A woman and a man sit opposite one another at a table in front of a burbling fountain, communicating in a language that is incomprehensible to the viewer. They caw like birds – or are they squawking? In any case they are clearly not having a proper conversation; they are talking past each other. A wonderful satire on the common lack of understanding between men and women.
Mila Burghardt Born 1985 in Emden, Germany. Studied media art at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar until 2012. Lives in Darmstadt. Failure Is Not an Option 26’00”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 Mila Burghardt’s multilayered work – a combination of video footage, sound composition, text, interaction, projected animations and live performance by the artist herself – examines the role of women in contemporary western society. It draws attention to old and new role models, the growing pressures on and inflated expectations of women, and the corresponding sense of personal failure one feels if one cannot fulfil these demands.
Mila Burghardt Born 1985 in Emden, Germany. Studied media art at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar until 2012. Lives in Darmstadt. Failure Is Not an Option 26’00”, HD video, colour, sound, 2012 Mila Burghardt’s multilayered work – a combination of video footage, sound composition, text, interaction, projected animations and live performance by the artist herself – examines the role of women in contemporary western society. It draws attention to old and new role models, the growing pressures on and inflated expectations of women, and the corresponding sense of personal failure one feels if one cannot fulfil these demands.
Maria Dabow Born 1983 in Altdöbern, Germany. Has been studying at Berlin Weissensee School of Art since 2007, where she is currently working on her final project as a master-class student. Lives in Berlin and Reykjavik. I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You 10’13”, HD video, colour, 2013
Dabow’s 3-channel installation I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Dabow’s 3-channel installation I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Maria Dabow Born 1983 in Altdöbern, Germany. Has been studying at Berlin Weissensee School of Art since 2007, where she is currently working on her final project as a master-class student. Lives in Berlin and Reykjavik. I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You 10’13”, HD video, colour, 2013
Dabow’s 3-channel installation I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Dabow’s 3-channel installation I Suck My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Marlene Denningmann Born 1983 in Meppen, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg until 2014 and has also been working in theatre since 2007 (with René Pollesch, Chto Delat and Carsten ‘Erobique’ Meyer, among others). Lives in Hamburg. Interview #3 5’25”, HD video, b&w, sound, 2011 We are witnessing an interview between film critic Dietrich Kuhlbrodt and the young actor Sebastian Urzendowsky, whose best-known work includes a leading role in the German film “Pingpong” (2006), which won awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Their conversation revolves around questions of masculinity and male beauty, the role of men in film, the subject of age and the notion of male strength, however the discussion remains curiously one-sided and ultimately raises the question of identity between the speaker and the spoken text.
Marlene Denningmann Born 1983 in Meppen, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg until 2014 and has also been working in theatre since 2007 (with René Pollesch, Chto Delat and Carsten ‘Erobique’ Meyer, among others). Lives in Hamburg. Interview #3 5’25”, HD video, b&w, sound, 2011 We are witnessing an interview between film critic Dietrich Kuhlbrodt and the young actor Sebastian Urzendowsky, whose best-known work includes a leading role in the German film “Pingpong” (2006), which won awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Their conversation revolves around questions of masculinity and male beauty, the role of men in film, the subject of age and the notion of male strength, however the discussion remains curiously one-sided and ultimately raises the question of identity between the speaker and the spoken text.
Barbara Dévény Born 1976 in Neunkirchen/Saar, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) until 2013 and was a master-class student of Prof. Jean-François Guiton at the University of the Arts in Bremen. Lives in Hamburg. Get Up and Leave 2’26”, DV video, colour, sound, 2012 A man and a woman each describe the final day of their relationship from their point of view. Both try to assert themselves by claiming to have played the active role in their break-up: she talks about packing up his belongings and throwing him out of the house; he says he packed his things and left of his own accord. While we are only shown partial views of the woman, who seems to be talking to herself more than anyone else, the figure of the man fills the frame as he tries to persuade us that his side of the story is correct. In the end, another version supplied by a second female narrator undermines the credibility of what we have heard. nsi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW'>My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Barbara Dévény Born 1976 in Neunkirchen/Saar, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) until 2013 and was a master-class student of Prof. Jean-François Guiton at the University of the Arts in Bremen. Lives in Hamburg. Get Up and Leave 2’26”, DV video, colour, sound, 2012 A man and a woman each describe the final day of their relationship from their point of view. Both try to assert themselves by claiming to have played the active role in their break-up: she talks about packing up his belongings and throwing him out of the house; he says he packed his things and left of his own accord. While we are only shown partial views of the woman, who seems to be talking to herself more than anyone else, the figure of the man fills the frame as he tries to persuade us that his side of the story is correct. In the end, another version supplied by a second female narrator undermines the credibility of what we have heard. nsi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW'>My Tongue in Remembrance of You is based on the dance performance of the same title by the Danish choreographer Lea Vendelbo Peterson. Two people, their bodies entwined, share seemingly tender embraces as they move around the floor, circumscribing a circle as they perform a series of repetitive movements. When the choreography speeds up, the initial affection gradually tips over into violence. Attachment leads to dependency, which in turn leads to rejection. The work revolves around memories of movements and the notion of what was, is and could be within a complex human relationship.
Philipp Gufler Born 1989 in Augsburg, Germany. Completed his graduate degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich in 2014 as a master-class student of Prof. Peter Kogler. Lives in Munich. Jerry Girl 9’25”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 Behind curtains of lightweight, transparent fabric, onto which images of paintings on the theme of masculinity have been printed – including Gérôme’s Pygmalion and Galatea, Caravaggio’s Narcissus and Girodet-Trioson’s Revolt of Cairo – the artist allows himself to be dressed up as a woman by Jerry Girl, a drag queen from Amsterdam. The panels of fabric not only provide the referential framework within which Gufler is operating, they also lend the scene the intimacy of a boudoir where two women are preparing to attend an evening ball.
Philipp Gufler Born 1989 in Augsburg, Germany. Completed his graduate degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich in 2014 as a master-class student of Prof. Peter Kogler. Lives in Munich. Jerry Girl 9’25”, HD video, colour, sound, 2014 Behind curtains of lightweight, transparent fabric, onto which images of paintings on the theme of masculinity have been printed – including Gérôme’s Pygmalion and Galatea, Caravaggio’s Narcissus and Girodet-Trioson’s Revolt of Cairo – the artist allows himself to be dressed up as a woman by Jerry Girl, a drag queen from Amsterdam. The panels of fabric not only provide the referential framework within which Gufler is operating, they also lend the scene the intimacy of a boudoir where two women are preparing to attend an evening ball.
Helene Wittmann Born 1982 in Neuss, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg until 2013. Lives in Hamburg. Wilderness 12’00 ”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 ‘Diegesis’ – or ‘cinematic space’, as conceived by the director Éric Rohmer – refers to the space viewers construct in their imagination from the fragmentary elements a film provides. In Wildness, the neat and tidy home of a retired couple is invaded by projected footage of wild animals that the husband shot on Super 8 film during numerous trips he made to Africa and Asia when he was younger. The projected images allude to dreams from the past and to the wide spectrum of possible life paths.
Helene Wittmann Born 1982 in Neuss, Germany. Studied at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) in Hamburg until 2013. Lives in Hamburg. Wilderness 12’00 ”, HD video, colour, sound, 2013 ‘Diegesis’ – or ‘cinematic space’, as conceived by the director Éric Rohmer – refers to the space viewers construct in their imagination from the fragmentary elements a film provides. In Wildness, the neat and tidy home of a retired couple is invaded by projected footage of wild animals that the husband shot on Super 8 film during numerous trips he made to Africa and Asia when he was younger. The projected images allude to dreams from the past and to the wide spectrum of possible life paths.
Works
