Daniel Burkhardt

Experimental film has no fixed home. Its rootlessness has made it a nomadic genre that must seek out places and occupy them temporarily in order to make an appearance. As a marginalized form, it has developed a particular sensitivity for capturing unstable, peripheral and liminal zones, which are among its recurring themes. In contrast to feature film, locations here are not used as backdrops for a story—for instance, in terms of the social positioning of fictional characters—but are instead surveyed as autonomous spheres of perception, experience becoming stages and projection surfaces for emotional and psychological processes, as well as revived memories. The topographical explorations discussed in this seminar trace the often invisible social, political, and cultural imprints within spaces and redefine the coordinates of on-screen/off-screen, inside/outside, private/public, local/global, and real/virtual. Films by Shirley Clarke, Rob Crosse, Flatform, Gerhard Benedikt Friedl, Rebana John, Roman Khimei & Yarema Malashchuk, Jeongwong Kim, Helen Levitt, Nicolas Provost, Peter Rose, Maki Satake, Paul Spengemann, Laura Waddington, Igor Zelić, Yu Zhe, and others. Guests: Jan Locus, Lukas Marxt, Silke Schönfeld, Maya Schweizer, Susanna Wallin

In this basic seminar, we will explore the artistic possibilities of performative strategies in relation to, and in contrast with, the medium of video. The seminar focusses on the synergetic relationship between both fields: how does the perception of the time-based image change when viewed through a performative lens, and what happens to the transitory ‘now’ in the performative act when confronted with a recording device? Using various strategies of audiovisual and performative montage, the seminar explores, both theoretically and experimentally, how autonomous units of meaning can be interwoven, differentiated and layered in such a way as to create a complex field of meaning that exceeds the significance of its individual elements. A particular focus is placed on collaborative working methods: different artistic perspectives, materials and methodological approaches are not standardised, but are incorporated into the working process as productive differences. Alongside the collaborative approach, independent artistic work is central to the seminar. Through process- and group-based assignments, participants will learn to devise and realise visual-performative projects. Regular presentations and group discussions will support this process. The aim is to develop communicative sensitivity, sharpen awareness of media and socio-political frameworks, and foster the development of an individual artistic position. Through practical workshops, students will be encouraged to use freely accessible tools such as mobile phones, microphones, sound and lighting equipment, as well as open-source hardware and software, in order to facilitate independent experimentation. Building on the basic seminar, a specialist seminar will be offered in the summer term. In this follow-up seminar, the artistic processes initiated in the basic seminar will be developed further, with the aim of creating collective works. During the semester, an excursion to Berlin is planned, including visits to performances and exhibitions at the Volksbühne, HAU, Gropius Bau and Hamburger Bahnhof.