VIDEOHOLICA 2009 special selection

 Sergio Cruz, Portugal – “Еxótica” – 2009 – 05:10

"Exótica" is the result of a three-week artistic residence in Maputo (Mozambique) in March 2008 with the Portuguese choreographer Miguel Pereira. The film has no particular narrative, but contains snapshots of the lives and rituals of African culture, through contacts with the local dance and music community. With a playful approach to the framing and editing of sound and image, Exótica frames fragments of the African wilderness that contrast with the concrete blocks and rituals of dance and music as captured in the city of Maputo. The initial atmospheric soundtrack of the film combines camera ambient field recordings, including natural sound, drums, sounds from city labourers and traffic that progressively transform into a drum & bass track.

Sergio Cruz

Born in 1977 in Portugal. In 2006 he started his MA in Fine Arts at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design  in London. Studied in Portugal, Amsterdam and London. Currently  lives and works in England and Portugal as a filmmaker, artist, sound designer, camera operator and editor. Awards: 2009 The bursary Ernesto de Sousa, Portugal; 2008 The FNAC  New Talent Award; 2007 The Red Mansion Art Prize; 2006 Young Creators – Video area Prize.

Lia Chavez, USA / UK – “Penetration” – 2006 – 04:19

“Penetration” is filmed in London’s Piccadilly Circus, this silent video depicts the deconstruction of capitalist icons by fragmenting familiar symbols and logos and reassembling them in a chaotic, mesmerizing visual collage. It tries to induce a state of simultaneous penetration of and absorption in the one-dimensional surfaces of the LCD screens which characterize this public space. This piece explores the ideas of visual rhythm, optical consumption and subconscious visual culture. The movement of my physical body is the central art medium in this sensation-centered piece. Sections from logos and other pieces of text flashing upon the LCD screens collide to form a vocal vagina dentata, posing a challenge to narrow definitions which limit language to text alone. The compositional structure of the work adopts the anatomical bilateralism of the body, producing an organic syntax of the visual subject which reflects a physical interaction with the city.

Guido Salvini, Italy – “Strength Text” – 2009 – 02:24

A hand trying to write article 21 of the Italian Constitution (the one about freedom of expression and print)* another hand doing everything to stop it.

*Art. 21 of the Italian Constitution
Everyone has the right to express freely their own thought by word, in writing and all other means of communication.

Guido Salvini

Born in 1962 in Torino. Lives and works in Torino as photographer and visual artist. Selected exibitions: 2009 Immagini dall’India palazzo Cavour, Torino; 2008 Video Dia Loghi, Torino; 2008 More blind mice, collective exibition for Bi loft Torino; 2008 Galleria MAR e Partners, Torino.(Macco-Salvini solo); 2007 Insoliti off, Caffè del Progresso, Torino; 2006 Circuito 48, Caffè Procope, Torino; 2006 Il gesto e l’anima, Teatro Nuovo, Torino; 2006 Piattaforma teatro coreografico, Cavallerizza Reale, Torino; 2006 Insoliti, Teatro Gobetti, Torino; 2006 Festival di danza contemporanea, Associazione Valdapozzo, Alessandria; 2005 Piattaforma teatro coreografico, Teatro Caos, Torino; 2005 Notte a Lynchlandia, Damadama Cafè, Torino; 2004 La Parraca, Villanova d’Asti; 2004 Quiet Bodies. Chiodi Cafè, Mestre; 2003 Andiamo al Piazzo-arte e ambiente, Palazzo Cisterna, Biella; 2003 Piattaforma sezione video, Espace, Torino; 2003 Film Festival, Mestre; 2001- 02- 04 Cesena, competition cinema still photographers.

Esther Johnson, UK – “Study in Light and Form #2” – 2008 – 01:00

“Study in Light and Form #2” presents two indoor time-lapse film studies of a tulip as it changes over a twenty-four-hour period, condensed into sixty seconds each. A short but meditative look at a flower responsible for the Dutch tulip mania in the 1600s.

Esther Johnson

Esther Johnson is an artist, filmmaker and photographer who creates work that takes a poetic- experimental approach to documentary and narrative, through film, video, audio, photography, installations and writing. Work is made for exhibition and cinema screening through individual projects, commissions and residencies. Born in 1977 in Beverley, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK. Graduated PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Sheffield Hallam University – Distinction (2007–08); MA Communication Art & Design Royal College of Art, London – Thesis Distinction, Specialising in film, video, sound and photography (2000–02); BA (Hons) Media Arts University of London, Royal Holloway & Bedford New College, Specialising in film, video, photography, aesthetics and theoretical film studies (1996–99); BTec Foundation Art & Design Hull College of Art & Design – Distinction (1995–96).
Johnson's award-winning films and photography have exhibited globally in film festivals, galleries and cinemas in around 20 countries, including the London Film Festival; Raindance Film Festival, London; MadCat Film Festival, San Francisco; NASA, USA; Science Museum, Tate Britain, Tate Modern & ICA, London; Cornerhouse, Manchester; Site Gallery, Sheffield; FACT, Liverpool; Sotherby's, New York and the Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro.

Andrea Kustić, Croatia – “You Are Of No Importance!” – 2009 – 0 5:45

The video addressees the problem of degenerative values in soceity today. There is no difference between what is called "the art System" or "the art industry" and "the system" or "the industry" in general.
The female voice represents the System and the male a freethinking Individual. The conversation ends when the System uses a first person pronoun "I" for the first time in the whole conversation  in the sentence "I've thought that you like going nowhere?" which causes a "error" when the Individual replies with "You are of no importance..." and makes the System continuously correct itself.

Andrea Kustić

Born in 1984 in Rijeka, Croatia. Earned High-School degree in 2002 at the School of applied arts in Rijeka. Currently giving final exams at the Academy of applied arts in Rijeka. Selected exhibitions: 2009 “Mayday incubator“ festival, (You are of no importance, video), Krk, Croatia; 2009  Art Colony Grožnjan group exhibition (Heritage IV), Grožnjan, Croatia; 2007 “Air with Milk”, performance, Sub-Art workshops, Ražanj, Croatia; 2007 “Heritage”, solo exhibition (Heritage II), Gallery O.K., Rijeka, Croatia; 2007  “Vision Creates Future”, group exhibition (Heritage I), Fachhochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany; 2005  “Blue rectangle”, short film presentation, Filodrammatica, Rijeka, Croatia; 2005   ZKD - Zone of Cultural Decontamination, “Specific moment”, Rijeka, Croatia.

Marius Leneweit / Ricio Rodriguez, Spain – “…niland” – 2009 – 06:45

... niland 1 is built on the separating line of both water and air being symbolically related to the emotions and common sense; a diffuse fleeting glance of a interline that we cross through from side to side.
... niland 1 builds new landscapes on the sea, the center of which is the breathing between water and tornades currents, a fight for air being interrupted by a mere decline of the water level, allowing the shining of  the water surface line.
... niland 1 tells  unreasonably through pictures, lets us imagine events, persists on searching and remains uncertain.

Gruppefisch
Formed by M. Leneweit and R. Rodriguez in 2008 in Barcelona, Spain. The group is dedicated to videoart, photography and other forms of expressions.

Marius Leneweit
Born in 1975 in  Hamburg, Germany. Graduated in 2006 in Universität Lüneburg, Department of Applied Social Studies, Lüneburg, Germany. Selected works: Mensch Erde, Performance, Brodner Ufer, Germany; Über-Ich, Analysis S.Freud, Hamburg, Germany; Scuola, Integration Project, Hamburg, Germany.

Rocío Rodríguez
Born in 1979 in Caracas, Venezuela. 2005 MA in Digital Performance, University Doncaster College, UK; 2000 Video studies, Centro de Estudios Punt multimedia, S.G.A.E, España; 1996 Dance diploma, Escuela Ballet Arte, Venezuela. Awards 2009 Entre aigua 1 GRUP CASSA  FUNDACIO.

Funda Ozgunaydin, Germany – “Namus Belasi” – 2008 – 04:12

My main focus of interest lies in the origins of the boundaries of humanity's feeling of displacement, culture, religion and political as well as individual and social identities.
Some of my composit are taken directly from historical cultural backgrounds, while others are my own interpretation and are also taken from my own imagination.
I take a great interest in which day way actual art is leaving behind physical and visual traces in society. My work is mostly based on confused structures in order to create an inspiration to rethink patterns of interrelationships within an organization, social structures and sub-cultural living.

Christin Bolewski, Germany – “Mountain-water-painting” -2009 – 06:12

Proceeding from Chinese thought and aesthetics the traditional concept of landscape painting "Shan-Shui-Hua" (mountaln-water-painting) is recreated as modern video art.The concept of multi perspective and endless scroll are explored through digital filmmaking, video compositing and virtual camera, depths and particle systems. Challenging the Western preoccupation with narrative and distinct meaning, the work contains no complex narration and attempts to be a meditative open artwork. It uses the tools and protective clothing to vanquish the highest peaks in order to conquer nature rather than searching for harmonious existence, thus counterpointing Eastern and Western ideals.

Christin Bolewski

A digital media artist and experimental filmmaker from Germany. Undergraduate studies in film, video and photography, postgraduate studies in audiovisual media at Academy of Media Arts Cologne Germany. Researcher and lecturer at Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Konstfack Stockholm, UCSC California, Loughborough University. Professorship in Audiovisual Media FH Lemgo Germany. Regular exhibitions at international digital media art events in Europe, Asia, North and South America, including SIGGRAPH Asia, Worldwide Video Festival Den Haag, FILE Brazil, Transmediale Berlin, Manifestation on video-art and videomaking of the last 15 Years Rialto Filmtheatre Amsterdam, Electronic Undercurrents, Art & Video in Europe Statens Museum for Kunst Copenhagen, part of group exhibitions at Kunstmuseum Bonn, Dt. Kinemathek Berlin, awarded with UNESCO Webprize, etc.

Roland Wegerer, Austria – “How To Clean A Puddle!” – 2008 – 01:44

Jumping in a puddle will be continued to an operate and excessive final. What in childhood after a few jumps was stopped is completed here. Water, mud and the black clothing generate short sculptural images and meet in their social definition in opposition. The radical intervention into the puddle of water, the pace of jumps and soiled pants brings us back into the childhood lead.

Roland Wegerer

Born in 1974 in Amstetten, Austria. Since 1997 express intense in art. Since 2005 studies at university of art and industrial design Linz. Lives and works in St. Nikola/Danube and Linz. Selected exhibitions: 2009 One Minute - One Shot '2009, ACCEA, Yerevan (ARM), (cat.); BlackBox Kunst + Kultur, Aarau (CH); Athens Video Art Festival 2009, Athens (GR); ST.A.LL 26, "Ich bin kein Fisch", Galerie Schau-ST.A.LL, Amstetten (AT); AllArtNow 1st International video art festival 2009, Damascus (SYR);13th International Festival of Performance Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City,(MEX); 2008  "Best off 08", Kunstuniversität Linz, Linz (AT); "Tiefenrausch", O.K. Centrum für Gegenwartskunst, Linz (AT), (cat.); "Bewegte Dinge ²", Kunstuniversität Linz, Ottensheim, OÖ, (cat.); "Ich habe nicht genug, ihr matten Augen", Universal cube, Spinnerei, Leipzig (D); "Schaurausch" Kunst in 50 Schaufenster, Linz, O.K. Centrum für Gegenwartskunst   und Linz 2009 Kulturhauptstadt Europas, (AT) (cat.); "Bewegte Dinge", Kunstuniversität Linz, Ottensheim, OÖ (AT), (cat.).

Martin Kohout, Germany – “Moonwalk” – 2008 – 02:20

A video meditation created by repeatedly uploading and screen capturing originally empty youtube video including the loading process.

Martin Kohout

Born in 1984 in Prague, Czech Republic. Currently lives and works in Berlin, Germany. Artist and filmmaker, chief editor and author of non-commercial cultural web jlbjlt.net. Graduated in 2009 in FAMU Prague. Selected exhibitions: 2009 Vienna (AT), Vienna Independent Shorts; 2008 Prague (CZ), A.M. 180, Jakmile mě okupuješ, pronikám do tebe; Olomouc (CZ), PAF; 2008 Ljubljana (SLO), Haip; 2008 Sofia (BG), Cargo; 2007  Slany (CZ), Benzinka, We Make Boxes 280407; Prague (CZ), Enter3: Web 2.0 Generation; Vienna (AT), Paraflows: UN Space; Amsterdam (NL), Streetlab; Budapest (HU), Art In Box. Selected awards: 2006 Lab.Award for Ombea project at Lab30 festival in Augsburg, Germany; 2008 Other Visions award for Moonwalk video at PAF 2008, Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Lemeh42, Italy – “Study on Human Form and Humanity #01” – 2008 - 02:00

We have created a choreography based on a sleeping body. Digitally we have impressed the body on an old piece of paper. On the paper it has been written a dream. The act of writing a dream is the clear expression of the uncertainty on which humans live their existence and therefore their own humanity.

Christian Nikolay, Canada – “Ampli fly” – 2008 – 02:43

Ampli fly was the result of amplifying a fly using a pick up, effect pedal and mini amplifier. The various sounds were recorded on a video camera and then assembled into 3 movements entitled : Composition in U.S. A. Major.
This work comes from the series Atlantis. ATLANTIS speaks out against government irresponsibility using art as a social vehicle on an intellectual platform for political discourse.

Christian Nicolay

Born in  1977 in Edmonton, Canada. Selected  exhibitions: 2009 Atlantis, Winsor Gallery, Vancouver BC; 2008 Hope Floats, Alternator Gallery - Window Gallery, Kelowna BC; Open Spaces, The Art Ark Gallery, Kelowna BC; 2007 Project Flyleaf in the fridge, The Art Ark Gallery, Kelowna BC; 2006 Project Flyleaf, Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver BC; ACTions of mass construction, Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver BC; (un)common (playing)ground, Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna BC; 2003 Conversations with a brick wall, Old School House Arts Centre, Qualicum Beach BC. Selected awards: 2006 Canada Council Media Arts Travel Grant; New Adventures in Sound Art Commission Residency, Deep Wireless Festival; CBC Radio One co-produced by OutFront & Charles Street Video, Toronto ON; 2004 Video Production Grant, Artist Residency, Alternator Gallery Kelowna BC; Canada Council Visual Arts Travel Grant; Helen Pitt Award (2000, 1999, 1998) / UBC Okanagan Traveling Exhibition Award;1999 Tuition Scholarship Entrance Award, UBC Okanagan; 4th Place in the 19th Annual College Photographer’s Forum Contest.

Ava Lache, Germany – “Silence” – 2008 – 03:13

"Silence" is an experiment with the human shadow and the invisible effects of propaganda.

Justin Randolph Thompson, Italy – “Table” – 2009 – 04:10

Justin Randolph Thompson is a Florence, Italy and Minnetrista, MN based new artist born In Peekskill, NY in ’79. He has lived in Italy periodically, since 2001. Thompson is a scholar in African-American history, African presence in Italy and African-American Quilting history. Thompson studied cinematography under Kevin Jerome Everson and has intertwined this past experience with his current sculpture practice investigating crossroads between ancient Italian references and contemporary African-American cultural expressions. His work encompasses sculpture, digital animation, ritual based performances and video installation. Thompson has lectured as a visiting artist at several University programs and has published articles of his scholarly research in international publications. He will have a forthcoming feature in Sculpture Magazine written by critic Elaine A. King. Thompson has solo shows lined up at Buffalo Arts Studio in Buffalo, NY, Number_5 GmbH in Zurich Switzerland, and Studio Arts Center International in Florence, Italy for 2008. He was a finalist in the Arnoldo Pomodoro Prize and recent recipient of a Franconia Sculpture Park Jerome Fellowship. Thompson is currently Professor of Fine Art at the University for foreigners Scuola Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, Italy.

Stuart Pound, UK – “Not You Again!” – 2009 – 03:49

Boris Eldagsen, Germany – “The Dying Widow” – 2008 – 06:19

“The Dying Widow” is based on one email by a 59 year old woman, supposedly dying of cancer and in need of your bank account details to support ‘the Lord’s good work’. The first part is an opera aria, overdramatised and utilising plastic crabs, gold and glitter. As a contrast, the deleted scene puts the viewer into the harsh environment of a hospital deathbed. The sound of monitors and machines takes over.

Boris Eldagsen

Born in 1970 in Pirmasens, Germany. Graduated in philosophy in Cologne and Mainz / Germany, and Fine Arts in Mainz, Prague/ Czech Republic and Hyderabad / India. Painter, photographer and designer. He lives and works in Berlin, Germany and Melbourne, Australia. Works as a multi-media consultant and an arts lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts, Mainz / Germany, as well as at the Centre for Ideas / VCA, Melbourne and the PSC Melbourne.

Robin Whenary, UK – “The Boy, the Bike and the Apple” – 2007 – 04:30

A chance encounter: as a boy cycles up a quiet country lane, an apple falls from tree and rolls downhill towards him.

Robin Whenary

Born in 1984 in Devon, England. Graduated with First Class Honours in 2006 in Ancient History degree. Selected filmography: The Boy, the Bike, and the Apple 2001; Intruder 2001; Blinded 2001; Panic 2001; River Dart (documentary) 2001; Motion 2001; Fear 2002; 1471 2002; Seeing 2002; Thief 2003; The Beginning 2007; Wwoofing (documentary) 2007; Over the Horizon (documentary) 2008.

Nadine Kiese, Germany – “I Toppled Monument Yesterday” – 2009 – 01:17

Nadine Kiesé

Born in 1980 in Adenau, Germany. Graduated in 2009 Fine Arts at HBK Saar (University of Fine Art and Design) in Saarbrücken / Germany with Diploma and Masterdegree with Prof. Georg Winter.

Gordon Culshaw, UK - „Slinky” – 2008 – 03:46

"Slink/1 slinky on a running machine. For almost 4 minutes we seethe battles of the slinky trying to outrun the moving belt of the running machine. It needs to stay in the middle of the belt, away from the edges, which, though shielding the deadly precipices on either side, threaten to trip it up at anytime should its concentration lapse for just one moment. This short film brings together Iwo very disparate pieces of technology one designed to be diversionary the other to maintain or produce the body beautiful. Combining the two in this way perhaps embodies a battle between these pursuits.

Gordon Culshaw

Based in Merseyside, North West. Qualifications and training: 2006 MA Fine Art, Manchester Metropolitan University; 2005 BA (Hons) Fine Art, Liverpool John Moores University. Selected Exhibitions and screenings: 2009 Aug ‘Videoholica’ Varna, Bulgaria; Apr ‘Shorts’ Norwich Arts Centre; Apr ‘Portrayal and Perpetration’ Wolstenholme Projects, Liverpool; Feb ‘Fear and Optimism’. BLOC, Sheffield; 2008 Nov ‘Cities on the Edge’ Mercy, Liverpool; Nov ‘Signs of Life’ Seel St, Liverpool; Oct ‘Optica Review’, Institut Cervantes, Paris; Oct ‘No Subject’, Liverpool Biennial Independents; Aug ‘Artfirm’, Calgary; July     ‘Façade’, Gallery 33 Berlin; June Castlefield Gallery’s ‘PureScreen’, Manchester; May ‘Internationales Videofestival Bochum’, Germany; Apr ‘Athens Video Art Festival’ Greece; 2007 Dec ‘Inport’ Tallinn, Estonia; Nov ‘Optica: the Gijon International Festival of Video Art’ Spain; Sept ‘Esperanto’ Brick 5, Vienna; Sept ‘Things that go bump in the night’ Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe; Sept ‘Projektor’ Café Gallery Projects, London; Aug ‘One Minute’ Aarau, Switzerland.

Kristina Bozurska, Macedonia – “Polyptych” – 2008/2009 – 03:58

My (The artist's) appearance is transforming in famous works from the modern. Works from artists that significantly influenced on me. This video explores aspects of postmodernism, questions of identity, globalization. Also, every video separately opens different questions.

Kristina Bozurska

Born in 1984 in Skopje, Macedonia. Graduated in “Cyril’s and Method” University, Skopje, Macedonia,  Faculty of Fine Arts, painting department  in the class of Antony Maznevski. Selected exhibitions: 2009 UNA Gallery, Bjarred, Sweden; 2009 CROATIA Pozega Croatian One Minute Film Festival; 2009 VIII Biennale of Young Artists of Macedonia; Museum of Contemporary Arts, Skopje; 2009 VIII Biennale of Young Artists of Macedonia; Museum of Contemporary Arts Pristine, Kosovo, Curated by Mira Gacina; 2009 One minute competition program, Skopje Film Festival; 2008 International art exhibition; Balkan Cultural Region Without Borders; Cultural Center, laktashi, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2008 Artists from Kumanovo; “National Gallery” Kumanovo, Macedonia; 2008 One minute competition program, Skopje Film Festival. Selected awards: 2009 University award for the best graduated student at the University “St. Cyril and Methodius” Skopje, in the school year 2007/2008; 2008  Best video in category  “NANO MINUTE”  on International One Minute Festival, Brazil; 2007  Best student in generation on the Faculty of Fine Arts, Skopje.

Charles A. Gick, USA - “Flowers from the mouth” – 2009 – 04:43

Flowers From The Mouth is often related to a birthing process simply conveying the expression of fertility. Beyond this interpretation, it represents the messy process of finding fertile ground when verbal communication is rendered infertile. The video serves as a metaphor for the struggle to tap into a dialogue when spoken words and written text and physical gestures, such as touching, fail. This visceral video is the corporal manifestation of the unseen phenomenon that one feels when desperately struggling to produce the missing components to a beautiful, compelling, and meaningful form of communication.

Charles Gick

Graduated in 1993 in Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. Selected exhibitions: 2010 Solo Installation Exhibition, Art Gallery at North Central College, Naperville, Illinois; 2009 “National Juried Competition”, Long Beach Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, New Jersey; “Quadstate Bienniel”, Quincy Art Center, Quincy, Illinois; “Works on Paper”, Juried Group Exhibition, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana; “The Work of Charles Gick”, Invitational Solo Installation Exhibition, Middle Tennessee State, University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee; 2008 “Waiting”, Solo Installation in Group Invitational Exhibition, “Carriage House Projects ’08”, Long Island Center for Experimental Art, Islip Art, Museum, Long Island, New York, August – October; 2003 Solo Installation Exhibition, I Space Gallery, Chicago, Illinois; “A Social Affair”, Curated Group Exhibition, Memphis Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee; “Preserving Place”, Traveling Group Exhibition, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana, September. 2002 “Still and Moving: Earth, Skin, Air, and Household Objects”, Solo Installation Exhibition; The Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana; “Texas National 2002 Exhibition”, Juried Exhibition, Griffith Art Gallery, Stephen F. Austin State; Lincoln, Nebraska (Juror: Janice Driesbach). Received Juror’s Award.

Inger Alfnes, Netherlands – “Exercise №1” – 2008 – 04:44

The video depicts a saw stuck into the ice on a frozen lake. Only the ice is in frame. No landscape is showing. The saw is standing still then starts moving slowly in the wind. The sun is blinking in the blade. The surface reference as ice is not clear. The work is questioning the ontological difference between still and loving image.

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