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Sparwasser HqOffensive für zeitgenössische Kunst und Kommunikation
Opening Friday 26th January from 7 pm till 11 pm, Köken Ergun
Parrallel to the video "Bohemian Rapsody" by Ho Tzu Nyen now two videos by the artist Köken Ergun will be presented, namely "I, Soldier" (2005), digital video, 6 mins and "The Flag" (2006), digital video, 8 mins Both artists are focusing on the extremes of disciplinary exercises in their own country. While Ho Tzu Nyen's video is describing the court trial of young men, who will be executed by hanging - in a country not functioning on a democratic basis, Köken Ergun is showing two video documentaries: the first of a soldier screaming a nationalistic military poem on the top of his lungs and the second of children celebrating the Children's Day, by reciting aggressive patriotic poems in a stadium - this being as obligatory for primary school children as the military service is for young men. The Istanbul/ Berlin based artist Köken Ergun: "Both
of these works are an act of exorcism of my fears: I, Soldier
(2005) about the fear of military discipline, and The Flag
(2006) about the rising nationalism in the world, especially
Europe." This light minded attitude is mutual for both artists. In an interview with November Paynter, Ergun answers the question about the role of the artist and his/her responsibilities, suggesting solutions for a troubled world or passively representing and mirroring a culture, in the search for its "own identity". The Singapore artist Ho Tzu Nyen makes use of a music-historical pop song "The Bohemian Rhapsody", by building the entire scenery of the video built upon the song lyrics, in a complicated rhythm of montages from auditions. Ho Tzu Nyen: "The lead role - of the protagonist (the boy defendant) is the one role open to an audition system. On the one hand this conflates the theme of legal judgment (which briefly escalates into spiritual judgement with the Velasquez/Bacon Cardinal) and the judgment of Director in the process of audition." To introduce the idea of the 'Bohemian' for a society that is build on strict social control, is new to Singapore. As an invention coming from the state authority, 'bar-top dance' and 'oral sex' (sex not meant for reproduction) is now allowed, with the purpose to stimulate cultural industries. The Glowing Whistle Festival By utilizing the exhibition space as a stage to accommodate moments of authenticity - or a scripted choreography of ideas - we suggest with the festival to look at different artistic positions working within performance and other 'staged' productions. curated by Sparwasser HQ/ Lise Nellemann
Review in Blaue Augen (german) of Ho Tzu Nyens video work:
this text is send out by The Glowing Whistle Festival
Sparwasser HQ outside Head Quarters in Torstrasse: Futurama and re-inventing tradition?
Sparwasser HQ, Offensive for contemporary art and communication An event with Tuesday, February 6th from 7 pm to 11 pm Curated by Francesca Cogoni Basement 7 pm - 11 pm The video artist and performer Francesca Grilli (1978, Bologna, Italy) will present two of her latest works: Arriverà e ci coglierà di sorpresa, a video documentation of a performance presented at the International Prize for Performance (Centrale di Fies - Trento, Italy) in 2006, and 194.9 MHz (digital video, 2006, 5' 22). Both works are based on memories, which are elaborated and shaped by Francesca Grilli according to her own personal vision, in order to create an alteration of space and time, a sort of "transfiguration of the everyday life", permeated by the interest in displaying "situations where strength and fragility coexist", as the artist herself declares. The musician and visual artist Stefania Pedretti (1976, Vigevano, Italy), member of the female performance group Allun and of the indie-noise band OVO, will appear as her alter-ego Signorina ?Alos and show her culinary-musical performance ?Alos - One Girl Cooking Music, in which the audience will be engaged in a multisensorial experience and fascinated by her versatile talents. Halfway between concert and theatre, the performance focuses on the idea of "stealing private moments and making them public". The performance will be followed by a presentation of ?Alos's
first video Sola! (2006), shot with the support of Francesca
Grilli. Representing a more private version of the artist's public
performance, the video Sola! comes after several years
of friendship and artistic collaboration between Stefania Pedretti
and Francesca Grilli, who since their first meeting in Milan
have been involved in various common projects and exhibitions
in Italian art galleries and cultural spaces.
NEWS FROM THE PRESENT FEASTIVAL IN SPARWASSER HQ, Köken Ergun's "the flag" awarded best short
film at Rotterdam Film Festival Ho Tzu Nyens video work reviewed in Blaue Augen (german): Both videos can be seen till February 17. :
The Glowing Whistle Festival By utilizing the exhibition space as a stage to accommodate moments of authenticity - or a scripted choreography of ideas - we suggest with the festival to look at different artistic positions working within performance and other 'staged' productions |
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