Winterfilm
Tom Barman, John Beagles, Arno Coenen, Martha Colburn, Dan Geesin, Jos de Gruyter, David Haines, Bas van den Hurk, Christian Jankowski, Kinga Kielczynska, Brandon La Belle, Erik van Lieshout, Todd Matsumoto, NoprstT, Beagles Ramsay, Graham Ramsey, Esther Rots, Agnes de Ruijter, Jorge Sosa Campos, Harald Thys, Nicolas Touron, Dick Tuinder, Angel Vergara, Wouter VerhoevenWINTERFILM is not an ehibition, but a weekend screening of narrative video's pruduced by artists. The idea is to give story-based video pieces the attention they deserve.
In a exhibition context, vieuwers often only pay superficial attention to works of this sort because they are too rushed or uninformed to wach the videos in full or follow the narrative.
WINTERFILM presents 25 videoworks in a cinema setting. This implies no traditional opening -after the presentation of screening erea will be closed although the public can meet for a drink afterwards in the 'Bar in film' cafe that, as the title suggests, owes its existence to images of bar-goers from famous movies (including the clink of ice cubes). The ideal bar for curious cinema buffs. But it doesn't end there.
Seated on Brandon LaBelle his wooden benches outside the screening area, the public can listen to live street sounds.
The WINTERFILM programme offers a wide choise of productions ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. In true movie tradition, the Friday and Saturday evening presentations last around 90 minutes. Only on Sunday afternoon there will be a lecture on the sources of the works and the premiere of the triptych ' De vloek, Parallelogram en De pot' from the Brussels- based duo Harald Thys and Jos de Gruyter. A dryly comic piece involving characters at once surreal and everyday.
On Friday evening, the focus will be on immersing the public, sucking vieuwers into the videomakers his world. Jankowski lends daily life myth status, giving a lucid account of what art is all about on the way. Haines showcases fact and fictional Eurovision song festival entrants and De Ruijter has 40 Robs and Bobs chant their names in a punishing techno rhythm. Then there's the opening speech by King Albert of Vergara and the Prince and Madonna lyrics quoted by Beagles and Ramsay's weary old men. Erik van Lieshout 'Groei en bloei' shows a solid joint- smoking session, plus familiar outcome - even for the vieuwer.
On Saturday evening the overall mood becomes more contemplative and melancholic. First there is the premiere of part two of Dick Tuinder his ambitious ' Self-portrait of the 20th century as a brain'. Will it be able to outdo the iconoclastic nightmare depicted in part one ? "The theme from turnpike' , by Tom Barman (singer/guitarist with dEUS) follows. Unsurpassed as a video clip director, here Barman framed Seymour Cassel, the old Cassavetes actor, in a prime leading rol. Geesing/Rots, Haines, Campos and Verhoeven/van den Hurk also excel in a wonderfully dreamlike document. There is a brutal interruption from the virtual violence of Arno Coenen 'Pimp! Arena' a documentairy about duch VJ -s filmed on a November evening in W139. For the many that missed the event. WINTERFILM is the second chance to experience that unique evening, before its screening on German television.