1

PRESENTED BY THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA ART CONTEMPORARYCONTEMPORARY

>The Animatograph<, a apparatus resuscitated from early film history, unites different elements of visual and performing arts into a new format. It is a rotating stage construction, an “actionistic photo-plate” which is used as a recording and filmic and acoustical projection device. Animated by life interventions, superimposed by overlaying film projections and ambient soundscapes, >The Animatograph< incorporates thematically episodes of a Mystery House murder-story with current Islandic occurrences and the world of Iceland’s sagas.

1 Neuhardenberg August 2005 CONTENTS

Burgtheater, Vienna January 2006

© All Photos in this publication Burgtheater, Vienna (except when noted differently): Aino Laberenz January 2006 Photo: Georg Soulek

Lüderitz, Namibia October 2005

Neuhardenberg 2 August 2005 Iceland May 2005

Lüderitz, Namibia October 2005

INTRODUCTION TO THE ANIMATOGRAPH PROJECT by Francesca von Habsburg ...... 4

>THE ANIMATOGRAPH< – A “LIFE MACHINE” BY CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF by Jörg van der Horst ...... 6

>THE ANIMATOGRAPH< Iceland Edition. Destroy Thingvellir. Reykjavik, Iceland ...... 12 Odins Parsipark. Stiftung Schloss Neuhardenberg, Neuhardenberg, Germany ...... 18 Utgard - The African Twintowers. Lüderitz, Namibia ...... 24 AREA 7 – Matthäusexpedition by Christoph Schlingensief. Burgtheater, Vienna ... 28 Brazil Edition – The Flying Dutchman. Manaus, Brazil ...... 36

CONSTRUCTION KIT ...... 38

3 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANIMATOGRAPH PROJECT

by Francesca von Habsburg

When Christoph Schlingensief first walked into the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary offices in Vienna, six months ago, I don’t believe that he really knew where he was, who I was, and certainly not what the T-B A21 foundation does! But his instincts were right on target it seems, just as always. He lives and works very spontaneously, but at the same time, nothing about his work is not deeply considered in his mind, which races at the most extraordinary speed. He rushed me through two hours of a stream of images, video clips, entire acts of “Parsifal” with music, from one continent to another, jumping back and forth de- veloping his ideas through a visual language, which left me aghast! His seductive charm together with the “tourbillion” of images and ideas fit perfectly together with a language that I have been leaning recently through the Dan Graham, Tony Oursler and Rodney Graham production of “Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty” in Miami. The language of a position that is not defined by one art form or another. A ma- trix of expression, that is layered with images of Schlingensief’s extraordinar- ily rich visual language, and whilst the bad boy of German theater dreams of other horizons, he already has them all in his laptop. A couple of weeks later I received a quick-time rendering in 3D of the first Photo: Francesca von Habsburg >Animatograph<, with projections of his past work flowing over screens as it ro- tated around and around my desktop. I was dizzy with excitement! A project was born and whilst sometimes I wait respectfully for months (even years) for some artists to become available, then conceive and develop their projects, here was one I could absolutely see happening immediately. At the very same time, I was planning my next trip to Iceland in January, and heard about the appointment of Jessica Morgan from the Tate Modern, to the Reykjavik Arts Festival, which was conceived around the Dieter Roth retrospective at Reykjavik’s two major muse- ums, the National Gallery of Iceland and the Reykjavik Art Museum/Hafnarhus. A perfect combination of coincidences started to push >The Animatograph< into

4 its first journey. What better company could Schlingensief have for his art-installation than Roth and some of the new generation art- ists whose work he certainly had some influence over such as John Bock and Jonathan Meese. He liked the idea very much and a month later we were scouting in Iceland. Braving the subzero temperatures, I watched Schlingensief immerse himself in the culture, the people, the his- tory of Iceland, but most of all in the Sagas. There was a moment in the truly remarkable Museum of Ethnology of Iceland, when the commit- ment to Iceland and this project really took form. I could see the images flashing through his mind. The following months we drew up a plan for the future of >The Animatograph<, which included traveling it to Baktapur, in Nepal, Namibia, the rain forest in Brazil and possibly Jamaica, as a collector of myths and sagas from around the world. These myths represent man’s obsession with fear, and a currency of protec- tion against evil, in all parts of the world. So it is appropriate that >The Animatograph< is born in Iceland, and from here will continue its journey around the world. It needs to be understood about >The Animatograph< that it is a “work in transit”, collecting sagas, myths, symbols and paranoiac fears from all continents and translating them into an ever evolving sequence of images, that >The Animatograph< will collect and disseminate at the same time as it circles our lives and questions are existence. It is our Holy Grail.

5 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< A “LIFE MACHINE” BY CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF

by Jörg van der Horst

Pictures are always just reproductions. They are the one-way-mirror window of a representation that inevitably has already forfeited a certain amount of authenticity; pictures lack transparency, in more than one sense of the word. Up to the present day, neither the “old” nor the new media have succeeded in opening this window - not only to project the presenting and presented per- son, but also to make this person into a projector. The creation of multi-lay- ered spatial projections was attempted in the 1920s by artists such as László Moholy-Nagy, with his Light-Space-Modulator, or Ray Eames, the American archi- tect who experimented with spatial complexity and overlay until the end of the 1980s. With Meyerhold, Eisenstein and Piscator, projections found their way into the theater, dissolving its characteristic boundaries of time and space and multiplying the possible levels of theatrics and of reality. In the course of staging his productions “Atta Atta” und “Bambiland” (both in 2003), Christoph Schlingensief hit on the idea for a large-scale project in several parts, which became more clearly defined during his work on the stage set for “Parsifal” (Bayreuth Festival, 2004). During his recent produc- tion of “Kunst und Gemüse” (Volksbühne Berlin, 2004), Schlingensief developed a concrete plan for integrating and merging the disciplines in which he has worked - theater, opera, film and actionism -, freeing them from unmitigated art - acting - and entrusting them, in a kind of “Life Machine”, to the eve- ryday stagings and rituals of people outside of the artistic sphere. >The Animatograph< is, first of all, a mobile revolving stage installation, with the usual constru ction elements and equipment, which not only gives visitors a frontal view but also permits entry. Visitors can then operate the set, act on and react to the installation, “take the stage” as it were and direct their own scenes; at the same time they can use the installation by applying it to

their own everyday lives and cultures. Burgtheater, Vienna, January 2006 Photo: Georg Soulek 6 In a figurative sense, the revolving stage installation is an “actionistic photo- graphic plate”, which globally and cross-culturally captures the happenings taking place upon it and, wherever it is set up, projects the filmed, photographed and acoustic documentations of these happenings anew, each time enriched with the im- ages of the previous stations.

>The Animatograph< can therefore claim 1) to present this “Life Machine”, 2) to activate it and 3) to hand it over to the local machinists - us.

At first >The Animatograph< is to be set up for weekly periods in various places all over the earth, in Iceland, Germany, Central Europe, Africa and Central Asia as well as North and South America, and made available for “for use”, e.g. in a Nepalese marketplace, in a Namibian slum, a “liberated zone” in East Germany, a Brazilian favela and an amusement park in the USA. Following this, the inten- tion is to hold “happening weeks” at central locations in Berlin, Buenos Aires, New York, Reykjavik, Windhoek and Tokyo. Each station will create its own energy field, which will gradually become charged by its users, through everyday actions as well as through religious rites or artistic acts. In each place, the images, objects, sounds and music will be documented and, by means of projections and re- cordings, become part of the installation at the following stations. Thus, gradu- ally, a hyperprojection will be created. The picture that is exposed will be that of a universal culture.

In a second phase, >The Animatograph< will be transported from the culturally de- pendent stage of everyday life back to the traditional artistic sphere and will be given presentations and performances at selected theaters (e.g. the National- theater Reykjavik), opera houses (e.g. the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin), museums (e.g. the Kunsthalle Wien in Vienna, Museum of Modern Art New York) and festivals, where it will also be made available to its visitors for use. “Even at the time when I was the assistant of experimental filmmaker Werner Nekes, I already had the dream of uniting all the media in which I had worked up to that time with the viewer to create a Gesamtorganismus, a synthesis of art and life in which the viewer no longer merely views, but steps out of his world into the vision-and-shadow world of >The Animatograph<, which he exposes like a photographic plate with his experiences and energy charges.” (Christoph Schlingensief, 2005) 7

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KlinK&BanK Animatograph The KlinK&BanK Animatograph The

The Animatograph KlinK&BanK

KlinK&Bank artists base Reykjavik, Iceland Introduction to the Animatograph project by Francesca von Habsburg Klink & Bank came onto the scene in March 2004. An unused industrial building in central Reykjavik was temporarily donated by the National Bank of Iceland, and the opportunity was When Christoph Schlingensief first walked into the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary offices in Vienna, seized by local artists. In collaboration with Kling & Bang gallery, the 5000 square metres was six months ago, I don’t believe that he really knew where he was, who I was, and certainly not what the soon transformed into a thriving maze of artistic activity. Some 137 artists, designers, filmmakers T-B A21 foundation did! But his instincts were right on target it seems, just as always. He lives and works and musicians now work in the building on a day to day basis. The three floor building houses art very spontaneously, but at the same time, his work is deeply considered and has roots in far more studios, rehearsal rooms, gallery and performance spaces, recording studios and construction sophisticated places than one might at first glance give him credit for! His mind, which races at the most workshops. The space is continually developing and adapting according to need. extraordinary speed is a depository of classical literature and music, as well as being a well informed political analyst. He rushed me through two hours of a stream of images, video clips, entire acts of Klink and Bank is also open for visiting projects of all kinds including theatre, concerts, “Parsifal” with music, from one continent to another, jumping back and forth developing his ideas through installations, and seminars. Many of these visiting artists have also used the space for the a visual language, which left me aghast! His seductive charm together with the “tourbillion” of images and development and production of new works, including large scale pieces such as the Sheep Plug THE ANIMATOGRAPH ideas fit perfectly together with a language that I have been leaning recently through the Dan Graham, > < Project by Jason Rhoades and Paul McCarthy, which was made in collaboration with resident Tony Oursler and Rodney Graham production of “Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty” in Miami. It is the artists and is currently exhibiting at the the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Most recently Christoph A „LIFEMACHINE“ BY CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF language of a position that is not defined by one art form or another. A matrix of expression, that is Schlingensief has created his work Animatograph in the Kink & Bank space. layered with images of Schlingensief’s extraordinarily rich visual language, and whilst the bad boy of By Jörg van der Horst German theater dreams of other horizons, he already has them all in his laptop. In just over a year Klink & Bank has become a centre point for Reykjavik’s artistic life. There has been intense public interest – fed by a packed program of open events. So far there have been A couple of weeks later I received a quick-time rendering in 3D of the first Animatograph, with projections over 40 local and international touring concerts (including Peaches, Fennesz, Poni, Trabant, Sigur of his past work flowing over screens as it rotated around and around my desktop. I was dizzy with Ros), 31 exhibitions, 15 premieres in theatre and dance, and regular open days for public. A excitement! A project was born and whilst sometimes I wait respectfully for months (even years) for some rough average of three events per week! International interest in Klink & Bank is thriving, fueled artists to become available, then conceive and develop their projects, here was one I could absolutely see by several documentaries about it’s development that have been broadcast abroad. Meanwhile happening immediately. At the very same time, I was planning my next trip to Iceland in January, and Klink & Bank has been busy documenting it’s own explosive growth – a book will be published Pictures are always just reproductions. They are the one-way-mirror create its own energy field, which will gradually become charged heard about the appointment of Jessica Morgan from the Tate Modern, to the Reykjavik Arts Festival, which this fall, accompanied by a new documentary and music CD. The publication will give a history was conceived around the Dieter Roth retrospective at Reykjavik’s two major museums, the National Gallery window of a representation that inevitably has already forfeited a by its users, through everyday actions as well as through religious and perspective on the rich variety of developing work in this first phase of Klink & Bank. of Iceland and the Reykjavik Art Museum/Hafnarhus. A perfect combination of coincidences started to push certain amount of authenticity; pictures lack transparency, in more rites or artistic acts. In each place, the images, objects, sounds the Animatograph into its first journey. What better company could Schlingensief have for his art- At Klink & Bank the synergy of different art forms brought together under one roof is an than one sense of the word. Up to the present day, neither the "old" and music will be documented and, by means of projections and installation than Roth and some of the new generation artists whose work he certainly had some influence exceptional opportunity for new development – exceptional both locally and internationally. The over such as John Bock and Jonathan Meese amongst others. He liked the idea very much and a month nor the new media have succeeded in opening this window – not recordings, become part of the installation at the following extrordinary energy and production this has generated demonstrates how important the centre is later we were scouting in Iceland. Braving the subzero temperatures, I watched Schlingensief immerse for the artistic and cultural life of Iceland. These powerful ingredients have already formed a only to project the presenting and presented person, but also to stations. Thus, gradually, a hyperprojection will be created. himself in the culture, the people, the history of Iceland, but most of all in the Sagas. There was a moment committed and flourishing network of artistic collaboration at Klink & Bank. in the truly remarkable Museum of Ethnology of Iceland, when the commitment to Iceland and this project make this person into a projector. The creation of multi-layered The picture that is exposed will be that of a universal culture. really took form. I could see the images flashing through his mind. In the following months we drew up a spatial projections was attempted in the 1920s by artists such as plan for the future of the Animatograph, which included traveling it to Baktapur, in Nepal, Namibia, the László Moholy-Nagy, with his Light-Space-Modulator, or Ray Eames, In a second phase, >The Animatograph< will be transported from ANIMATOGRAPH ICELAND EDITION rain forest in Brazil and possibly Jamaica, as a collector of myths and sagas from around the world. These myths represent man’s obsession with fear, and a currency of protection against evil, in all parts of the the American architect who experimented with spatial complexity the culturally dependent stage of everyday life back to the "House of Obsession" world. So it is appropriate that the Animatograph is born in Iceland, and from here will continue its and overlay until the end of the 1980s. With Meyerhold, Eisenstein traditional artistic sphere and will be given presentations and by Christoph Schlingensief journey around the world. To this end, I started conceiving a tour for this project to travel the museum and Piscator, projections found their way into the theater, dissolving performances at selected theaters (e.g. the Nationaltheater commissioned by Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary circuit, which included Vienna Kunsthalle, MOMA in New York, MOCA in Los Angeles, and so on, so in collaboration with the Klink&Bank Schlingensief and I will have to work on a schedule! At the same time the T-B A21 foundation has lent its its characteristic boundaries of time and space and multiplying the Reykjavik), opera houses (e.g. the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in philanthropic producer power to Christoph Schlingensief, and the Animatograph, persuing its mission to possible levels of theatrics and of reality. Berlin), museums (e.g. the Kunsthalle Wien in Vienna, Museum of Artistic Director: Christoph Schlingensief generate new works of art through special commission projects like this one, and Candice Breitz’s “Legend”, and Olafur Eliasson’s “Your black horizon”, or participating in projects as co-producers, for example with Modern Art Ney York) and festivals, where it will also be made the puppet-rock-opera “Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty,” and “Küba”, the new project by Kutlug Ataman. In the course of staging his productions "Atta Atta" und "Bambil- available to its visitors for use. Actors: Karin Witt, Klaus Beyer, Christoph Schlingensief, Arnar Jónsson, Björn Thors, Eigill Heiðar Anton Pálsson, Guðrún Gísladóttir, Lilja Guðrún and" (both in 2003), Christoph Schlingensief hit on the idea for a It needs to be understood about the Animatograph that it is a “work in transit”, collecting sagas, myths, Þorvaldsdóttir, Nína Dögg Filipusdóttir, Ólafur Eigilsson, symbols and paranoiac fears from all continents and translating them into an ever evolving sequence of large-scale project in several parts, which became more clearly "Even at the time when I was the assistant of experimental film- Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Unnur Stefánsdóttir, images, that the Animatograph will collect and disseminate at the same time as it circles our lives and defined during his work on the stage set for "Parsifal" (Bayreuth maker Werner Nekes, I already had the dream of uniting all the media questions are existence. It is our Holy Grail. Artists from Klink & Bank for “Prize ceremony” at Thingvellir: Festival, 2004). During his recent production of "Kunst und Gemüse" Gudmundur Oddur Magnússon, Daniel Björnsson, Snorri Ásmundsson, I would like to extend my personal thanks to Nina Magnusdottir, director of the Klink og Bank, for being (Volksbühne Berlin, 2004), Schlingensief developed a concrete plan Sirra Sigurðardóttir, Erling Klingenberg, Sigríður Björg Sigurðardóttir, such a visionary support and galvanizing all her resources and the extraordinary team spirit of all the “art for integrating and merging the disciplines in which he has worked – Ómar Stefánsson, Nína Magnúsdóttir, Unnar Auðarson residents” of Klink og Bank to make this project happen. A special thanks goes to Gudmundur Oddur for his theater, opera, film and actionism –, freeing them from unmitigated amazing design talent, which you will appreciate in all the printed material we have put out for this Construction: Thekla von Mülheim, Tobias Buser; Úlfur Grönvold, project. It’s all brilliantly designed by him. I would like to thank Tinna Gunnlaugsdottir, Director of the art – acting – and entrusting them, in a kind of "Life Machine", to Daniel Björsson, Páll Banine, Páll Einarsson National Theatre of Iceland, for all her support and interest in this project. It has been instrumental to this the everyday stagings and rituals of people outside of the artistic project for Schlingensief to feel part of your family! A heartfelt appreciation for the work and talent of all sphere. >The Animatograph< is, first of all, a mobile revolving Property master: Harry Jóhansson the actors who have participated in the actions, films and performances that form an integral part of the Animatograph. The costume department’s sensational ostrich costume is just the most wonderful thing we stage installation, with the usual construction elements and equip- Sound-design: Davíð Þór Jónsson and Helgi Svavar Helgason have ever seen! Thank you so much for all the commitment support and friendship that you have extended ment, which not only gives visitors a frontal view but also permits to Christoph Schlingensief and his project. I must thank my team too, especially Daniela Zyman, theThe T-B project picks up efforts of first English film producer Robert William Paul entry. Visitors can then operate the set, act on and react to the Helping hands: Lars Skjalbriea, Finnur Ragnarsson, Pétur Hauksson, A21 curator, for all her support on this project, Eva Ebersberger, Nadine Moser and Elke Kellner for (1869-1943),their to follow “the trace of events” with a new camera eye and to take logistical help in planning this fantastic weekend for all our guests. Guðmundur Hauksson part in a “modern modelinstallation, of cultural "take information”, the stage" as itwhich were wasand createddirect their by owndevelopment scenes; at the same time they can use the installation by applying it to their I have to extend a very special thanks to Henning Nass, Schlingensief’s artistic and productional adviser,of photography, stage technology, illustrated press an early film. Lights : Björn Guðmundsson for trouble shooting, tirelessly using all his extremely direct but diplomatic skills in keeping a lid on own everyday lives and cultures. everything, literally. His talent for regulating steam could merit him an Icelandic honorary citizenship! Costume: Aino Laberenz Thanks so much to Kathrin Krottenthaler for her stunning camera and editing work. A special mention “The possibilities of moved photographs are not in the least used so far.” must go to Karin Witt and Klaus Beyer, the performers and artists, who showed great talent in interpretingRobert W. Paul, 1896 Camera: Kathrin Krottenthaler; Henning Nass the sagas for the films that Schlingensief shot here in Iceland. They also painted much of the installation, In a figurative sense, the revolving stage installation is an "actioni- Editing: Kathrin Krottenthaler, Kristian Zalinsky thus following the tradition of the Animatograph as being a magnet of multi disciplinary/multi tasking! No stic photographic plate", which globally and cross-culturally captu- DNA samples required explaining that about the Icelanders! Aino Laberenz has sourced the most wonderfulOn March 25th, 1896 Paul presented his Animatograph in the London Alhambra Assistant to director, research and ostrich: Jörg van der Horst costumes, as she perfectly understands Schlingensief’s visual language. Jörg van der Horst is the team’s res the happenings taking place upon it and, wherever it is set up, Saga specialist by now, with all the research he has undertaken for this project. His dramaturgic talentTheatre, will a projector, projectswhich he the had filmed, first photographed announced as and Theatrograph, acoustic documentations according of Artistic and production advices: Henning Nass become evident on the first night. A warm thanks goes to Holger and Anna Schultz for holding all toof us his own theatre experiences.these happenings anew, each time enriched with the images of the and the Animatograph together with their extensive production skills. Christoph Schlingensief has an Production management Germany: Anna Schulz, Holger Schulz amazing “family” which has now become the “Iceland enlarged edition family”. And it is a great pleasure previous stations. Production management in Iceland: Nína Magnúsdóttir and indeed an honor to feel part of that extended family! 1891 Paul had opened a factory for electrical instruments. In 1894 he began to Production management Austria: Daniela Zyman, Eva Eversberger About T-B A21 copy the Edison Kinetoskop,>The Animatograph< together with canphotographer therefore claim Birt Acres. First film A new foundation for contemporary art, T-B A21 was founded by Francesca von Habsburg in Vienna, 1) to present this "Life Machine", Graphic Design: Goddur (Guðmundur Oddur Magnusson) tests they showed at the beginning of 1895. One year later Paul passed over to Austria. Its mission is to support through co-productions and unique commissions the creation of new 2) to activate it and Webdesign: Patrick Hilss works from artists that contribute important positions to the contemporary art practice. T-B A21 seeksprojection to procedure and presented his Theatrograph on February 20th, 1896. A achieve this through multi-disciplinary projects that break down the traditional boundaries that definepublic and demonstration followed3) to hand on it Marchover to 19th the localat the machinists Egyptian – us.Hall in Piccadilly Fotos by: Aino Laberenz, Henning Nass, Christoph Schlingensief und categorize artistic expression in its different forms, whilst at the same time empowering the audiences with Jörg van der Horst a living experience of contemporary artistic expression. The work of the foundation brings innovationCircus. to Artist David Devant projected all overlaying mobile photographs on stage the core of the Thyssen-Bornemisza fourth generation’s approach to collecting and patronizing the ofarts. the theatre. ShortlyAt afterfirst >The Paul Animatograph< briefly renamed is tothe be equipmentset up for weeklyAnimatograph, periods in Tea and picnics; Francesca von Habsburg www. TBA21.org because the theatre notationvarious placesdid not all overappear the to earth, him intrend-setting Iceland, Germany, enough. Central He set Europe, Africa and Central Asia as well as North and South America, With special thanks to: The National Theater : Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir, Lýður great store by the versatile usability of the Animatograph. It wasn’t his goal Information Sigurðsson, Margrét Sigurðardóttir, Áskell Gunnlaugsson at Toyota, Bjarni and made available for "for use", e.g. in a Nepalese marketplace, in a Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporaryto reform the old medium (theatre) by new film; his goal was a medium-spreading Ingólfsson at Vaka, Ásgeir Friðgeirsson, Claudia Kaloff, Heidi Pottag, Nathalia Namibian slum, a "liberated zone" in East Germany, a Brazilian favela Himmelpfortgasse 13, 2nd floor, A-1010culture Vienna apparatus, which projected not only on static stage, but even out of the Stachon, Arno Waschk and Phillip Kummel Tel +43 1 513 98 56 and an amusement park in the USA. Following this, the intention is Fax + 43 1 513 illusory98 56 22 worlds on theto real hold world"happening stage. weeks" at central locations in Berlin, Buenos E-mail [email protected] www.TBA21.org Aires, New York, Reykjavik, Windhoek and Tokyo. Each station will “>The Animatograph< is not an artificial eye, not a camera, but a human visual organ. It is the viewer seeing himself and, in doing so, leaving traces, the way images leave traces on the retina.” Christoph Schlingensief, 2005

>The Animatograph< unites different elements of visual and performing arts into a new format. Following avant-garde film and theatre and their respective aesthetic paradigms, >The Animatograph< formulates a breaking up of the projection field 8

ll ll wi station Each Tokyo. and Windhoek Reykjavik, York, New Aires, www.TBA21.org

E-mail [email protected] E-mail

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is is intention the this, Following USA. the in park amusement an and

Tel +43 1 513 98 56 98 513 1 +43 Tel Phillip Kummel Phillip Waschk Arno Stachon, and and

Himmelpfortgasse 13, 2nd floor, A-1010 Vienna A-1010 floor, 2nd 13, Himmelpfortgasse

Ásgeir Friðgeirsson, Claudia Kaloff, Heidi Pottag, Nathalia Nathalia Pottag, Heidi Kaloff, Claudia Friðgeirsson, Ásgeir Ingólfsson favela favela Brazilian a Germany, East in zone" "liberated a slum, Namibian at Vaka, Vaka, at

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Bjarni Gunnlaugsson Áskell Sigurðardóttir, Margrét Sigurðsson, at Toyota, Toyota, at

e, in a a in e, marketplac Nepalese a in e.g. use", "for for available made and

Information

Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir, Lýður Lýður Gunnlaugsdóttir, Tinna With special thanks to: The National Theater : : Theater National The to: thanks special With ica, ica, Amer South and North as well as Asia Central and Africa Europe,

Central Germany, Iceland, in earth, the over all places various Francesca von Habsburg von Francesca Tea and picnics; picnics; and Tea

www. TBA21.org www.

to collecting and patronizing the arts. arts. the patronizing and collecting to approach generation’s fourth Thyssen-Bornemisza the of core the >The Animatograph< >The is to be set up for weekly periods in in periods weekly for up set be to is first At

Jörg van der Horst Horst der van Jörg ork of the foundation brings innovation to to innovation brings foundation the of ork w The expression. artistic contemporary of experience living a

t the same time empowering the audiences with with audiences the empowering time same the t a whilst forms, different its in expression artistic categorize Aino Laberenz, Henning Nass, Christoph Schlingensief Schlingensief Christoph Nass, Henning Laberenz, Aino und by: Fotos

3) to hand it over to the local machinists – us. – machinists local the to over it hand to 3) n the traditional boundaries that define and and define that boundaries traditional the n dow break that projects multi-disciplinary through this achieve

ontemporary art practice. T-B A21 seeks to to seeks A21 T-B practice. art ontemporary c the to positions important contribute that artists from works

Patrick Hilss Hilss Patrick Webdesign: 2) to activate it and it activate to 2)

nique commissions the creation of new new of creation the commissions nique u and co-productions through support to is mission Its Austria.

Goddur (Guðmundur Oddur Magnusson) Oddur (Guðmundur Design: Graphic

1) to present this "Life Machine", "Life this present to 1) rancesca von Habsburg in Vienna, Vienna, in Habsburg von rancesca F by founded was A21 T-B art, contemporary for foundation new A

About T-B A21 T-B About

>The Animatograph< >The can therefore claim therefore can

Daniela Zyman, Eva Eversberger Eversberger Eva Zyman, Daniela Production management Austria: Austria: management Production

Nína Magnúsdóttir Nína Production management in Iceland: Iceland: in management Production and indeed an honor to feel part of that extended family! extended that of part feel to honor an indeed and

Anna Schulz, Holger Schulz Holger Schulz, Anna Production management Germany: Germany: management Production

tion family”. And it is a great pleasure pleasure great a is it And family”. tion edi enlarged “Iceland the become now has which “family” amazing previous stations. previous

kills. Christoph Schlingensief has an an has Schlingensief Christoph kills. s production extensive their with together Animatograph the and

e e th of images the with enriched time each anew, happenings these

Henning Nass Henning Artistic and production advices: advices: production and Artistic and Anna Schultz for holding all of us us of all holding for Schultz Anna and Holger to goes thanks warm A night. first the on evident become

of of documentations acoustic and photographed filmed, the projects for this project. His dramaturgic talent will will talent dramaturgic His project. this for undertaken has he research the all with now, by specialist Saga

anguage. Jörg van der Horst is the team’s team’s the is Horst der van Jörg anguage. l visual Schlingensief’s understands perfectly she as costumes, Jörg van der Horst der van Jörg Assistant to director, research and ostrich: ostrich: and research director, to Assistant up, up, set is it wherever and, it upon place taking happenings the res

o Laberenz has sourced the most wonderful wonderful most the sourced has Laberenz o Ain Icelanders! the about that explaining required samples DNA

aptu- c cross-culturally and globally which plate", photographic stic

gnet of multi disciplinary/multi tasking! No No tasking! disciplinary/multi multi of gnet ma a being as Animatograph the of tradition the following thus Kathrin Krottenthaler, Kristian Zalinsky Zalinsky Kristian Krottenthaler, Kathrin Editing:

actioni- " an is installation stage revolving the sense, figurative a In . They also painted much of the installation, installation, the of much painted also They . Iceland in here shot Schlingensief that films the for sagas the Kathrin Krottenthaler; Henning Nass Henning Krottenthaler; Kathrin Camera:

ts, who showed great talent in interpreting interpreting in talent great showed who ts, artis and performers the Beyer, Klaus and Witt Karin to go must

and editing work. A special mention mention special A work. editing and camera stunning her for Krottenthaler Kathrin to much so Thanks

Aino Laberenz Laberenz Aino Costume:

rit him an Icelandic honorary citizenship! citizenship! honorary Icelandic an him rit me could steam regulating for talent His literally. everything,

t but diplomatic skills in keeping a lid on on lid a keeping in skills diplomatic but t direc extremely his all using tirelessly shooting, trouble for own everyday lives and cultures. cultures. and lives everyday own

Björn Guðmundsson Björn Lights : : Lights

gensief’s artistic and productional adviser, adviser, productional and artistic gensief’s Schlin Nass, Henning to thanks special very a extend to have I

o their their o t it applying by installation the use can they time same the at

Guðmundur Hauksson Guðmundur

scenes; scenes; own their direct and were it as stage" the "take installation,

guests. guests. our all for weekend fantastic this planning in help logistical

Lars Skjalbriea, Finnur Ragnarsson, Pétur Hauksson, Hauksson, Pétur Ragnarsson, Finnur Skjalbriea, Lars Helping hands: hands: Helping

ger, Nadine Moser and Elke Kellner for their their for Kellner Elke and Moser Nadine ger, Ebersber Eva project, this on support her all for curator, A21 he he t to react and on act set, the operate then can Visitors entry.

m too, especially Daniela Zyman, the T-B T-B the Zyman, Daniela especially too, m tea my thank must I project. his and Schlingensief Christoph to

mits mits per also but view frontal a visitors gives only not which ment,

Helgi Svavar Helgason Svavar Helgi Jónsson Þór Davíð and and Sound-design:

t and friendship that you have extended extended have you that friendship and t suppor commitment the all for much so you Thank seen! ever have

quip- e and elements construction usual the with installation, stage tume is just the most wonderful thing we we thing wonderful most the just is tume cos ostrich sensational department’s costume The Animatograph.

Harry Jóhansson Harry Property master: master: Property

ormances that form an integral part of the the of part integral an form that ormances perf and films actions, the in participated have who actors the

>The Animatograph< Animatograph< >The is, first of all, a mobile revolving revolving mobile a all, of first is, sphere.

elt appreciation for the work and talent of all all of talent and work the for appreciation elt heartf A family! your of part feel to Schlingensief for project

stic stic arti the of outside people of rituals and stagings everyday the

Daniel Björsson, Páll Banine, Páll Einarsson Páll Banine, Páll Björsson, Daniel n this project. It has been instrumental to this this to instrumental been has It project. this n i interest and support her all for Iceland, of Theatre National

Thekla von Mülheim, Tobias Buser; Úlfur Grönvold, Grönvold, Úlfur Buser; Tobias Mülheim, von Thekla Construction: thank Tinna Gunnlaugsdottir, Director of the the of Director Gunnlaugsdottir, Tinna thank to like would I him. by designed brilliantly all It’s project. , to to , Machine" "Life of kind a in them, entrusting and – acting – art

nted material we have put out for this this for out put have we material nted pri the all in appreciate will you which talent, design amazing

gated gated unmiti from them freeing –, actionism and film opera, theater,

ial thanks goes to Gudmundur Oddur for his his for Oddur Gudmundur to goes thanks ial spec A happen. project this make to Bank og Klink of residents” Ómar Stefánsson, Nína Magnúsdóttir, Unnar Auðarson Unnar Magnúsdóttir, Nína Stefánsson, Ómar

ked – – ked wor has he which in disciplines the merging and integrating for

the extraordinary team spirit of all the “art “art the all of spirit team extraordinary the and resources her all galvanizing and support visionary a such rðardóttir, Sigu Björg Sigríður Klingenberg, Erling Sigurðardóttir, Sirra

director of the Klink og Bank, for being being for Bank, og Klink the of director Magnusdottir, Nina to thanks personal my extend to like would I Ásmundsson, Snorri Björnsson, Daniel Magnússon, Oddur Gudmundur plan plan concrete a developed Schlingensief 2004), Berlin, (Volksbühne

Artists from Klink & Bank for “Prize ceremony” at Thingvellir: Thingvellir: at ceremony” “Prize for Bank & Klink from Artists

üse" üse" Gem und "Kunst of production recent his During 2004). Festival,

questions are existence. It is our Holy Grail. Holy our is It existence. are questions

maker Werner Nekes, I already had the dream of uniting all the media media the all uniting of dream the had already I Nekes, Werner maker th th (Bayreu "Parsifal" for set stage the on work his during defined the same time as it circles our lives and and lives our circles it as time same the at disseminate and collect will Animatograph the that images,

Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Unnur Stefánsdóttir, Unnur Arnarsdóttir, Sólveig

g them into an ever evolving sequence of of sequence evolving ever an into them g translatin and continents all from fears paranoiac and symbols

- film experimental of assistant the was I when time the at "Even y y clearl more became which parts, several in project large-scale Þorvaldsdóttir, Nína Dögg Filipusdóttir, Ólafur Eigilsson, Eigilsson, Ólafur Filipusdóttir, Dögg Nína Þorvaldsdóttir,

work in transit”, collecting sagas, myths, myths, sagas, collecting transit”, in work “ a is it that Animatograph the about understood be to needs It

ilja Guðrún Guðrún ilja L Gísladóttir, Guðrún Pálsson, Anton Heiðar Eigill Thors, Björn or a a or f idea the on hit Schlingensief Christoph 2003), in (both and"

, Jónsson Arnar Schlingensief, Christoph Beyer, Klaus Witt, Karin Actors:

available to its visitors for use. for visitors its to available l- "Bambi und Atta" "Atta productions his staging of course the In ba”, the new project by Kutlug Ataman. Kutlug by project new the ba”, “Kü and Thirty,” Over Anyone Trust “Don’t puppet-rock-opera the

projects as co-producers, for example with with example for co-producers, as projects in participating or horizon”, black “Your Eliasson’s Olafur and

Modern Art Ney York) and festivals, where it will also be made made be also will it where festivals, and York) Ney Art Modern

Christoph Schlingensief Schlingensief Christoph Artistic Director: Director: Artistic

ike this one, and Candice Breitz’s “Legend”, “Legend”, Breitz’s Candice and one, this ike l projects commission special through art of works new generate

of Museum Vienna, in Wien Kunsthalle the (e.g. museums Berlin), possible levels of theatrics and of reality. reality. of and theatrics of levels possible

e Animatograph, persuing its mission to to mission its persuing Animatograph, e th and Schlingensief, Christoph to power producer philanthropic

in collaboration with the Klink&Bank the with collaboration in

e time the T-B A21 foundation has lent its its lent has foundation A21 T-B the time e sam the At schedule! a on work to have will I and Schlingensief in in Linden den Unter Staatsoper the (e.g. houses opera Reykjavik), g the the g multiplyin and space and time of boundaries characteristic its

commissioned by Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Art Thyssen-Bornemisza by commissioned

CA in Los Angeles, and so on, so so on, so and Angeles, Los in CA MO York, New in MOMA Kunsthalle, Vienna included which circuit,

performances at selected theaters (e.g. the Nationaltheater Nationaltheater the (e.g. theaters selected at performances solving solving dis theater, the into way their found projections Piscator, and

Christoph Schlingensief Schlingensief Christoph by

tour for this project to travel the museum museum the travel to project this for tour a conceiving started I end, this To world. the around journey

"House of Obsession" of "House

and presentations given be will and sphere artistic traditional ein ein Eisenst Meyerhold, With 1980s. the of end the until overlay and eland, and from here will continue its its continue will here from and eland, Ic in born is Animatograph the that appropriate is it So world.

otection against evil, in all parts of the the of parts all in evil, against otection pr of currency a and fear, with obsession man’s represent myths the culturally dependent stage of everyday life back to the the to back life everyday of stage dependent culturally the y y complexit spatial with experimented who architect American the

ANIMATOGRAPH ICELAND EDITION EDITION ICELAND ANIMATOGRAPH

yths and sagas from around the world. These These world. the around from sagas and yths m of collector a as Jamaica, possibly and Brazil in forest rain

>The Animatograph< >The will be transported from from transported be will phase, second a In s, s, Eame Ray or Light-Space-Modulator, his with Moholy-Nagy, László

ng it to Baktapur, in Nepal, Namibia, the the Namibia, Nepal, in Baktapur, to it ng traveli included which Animatograph, the of future the for plan

as as such artists by 1920s the in attempted was projections spatial ind. In the following months we drew up a a up drew we months following the In ind. m his through flashing images the see could I form. took really

e commitment to Iceland and this project project this and Iceland to commitment e th when Iceland, of Ethnology of Museum remarkable truly the in

. culture universal a of that be will exposed is that picture The d d multi-layere of creation The projector. a into person this make

Klink & Bank. & Klink at collaboration artistic of network flourishing and committed

t most of all in the Sagas. There was a moment moment a was There Sagas. the in all of most t bu Iceland, of history the people, the culture, the in himself

ngredients have already formed a a formed already have ngredients i powerful These Iceland. of life cultural and artistic the for stations. Thus, gradually, a hyperprojection will be created. created. be will hyperprojection a gradually, Thus, stations. o o t also but person, presented and presenting the project to only

tures, I watched Schlingensief immerse immerse Schlingensief watched I tures, tempera subzero the Braving Iceland. in scouting were we later

tes how important the centre is is centre the important how tes demonstra generated has this production and energy extrordinary

ked the idea very much and a month month a and much very idea the ked li He others. amongst Meese Jonathan and Bock John as such over recordings, become part of the installation at the following following the at installation the of part become recordings, nor the new media have succeeded in opening this window – not not – window this opening in succeeded have media new the nor

locally and internationally. The The internationally. and locally both exceptional – development new for opportunity exceptional

hose work he certainly had some influence influence some had certainly he work hose w artists generation new the of some and Roth than installation

and music will be documented and, by means of projections and and projections of means by and, documented be will music and "old" "old" the neither day, present the to Up word. the of sense one than

ther under one roof is an an is roof one under ther toge brought forms art different of synergy the Bank & Klink At

ould Schlingensief have for his art- his for have Schlingensief ould c company better What journey. first its into Animatograph the

nds nds sou objects, images, the place, each In acts. artistic or rites more more in transparency, lack pictures authenticity; of amount certain

ombination of coincidences started to push push to started coincidences of ombination c perfect A Museum/Hafnarhus. Art Reykjavik the and Iceland of

first phase of Klink & Bank. Bank. & Klink of phase first this in work developing of variety rich the on perspective and

’s two major museums, the National Gallery Gallery National the museums, major two ’s Reykjavik at retrospective Roth Dieter the around conceived was gious gious reli through as well as actions everyday through users, its by d a a d forfeite already has inevitably that representation a of window

ublication will give a history history a give will ublication p The CD. music and documentary new a by accompanied fall, this

ern, to the Reykjavik Arts Festival, which which Festival, Arts Reykjavik the to ern, Mod Tate the from Morgan Jessica of appointment the about heard

d d charge become gradually will which field, energy own its create rror rror one-way-mi the are They reproductions. just always are Pictures

th – a book will be published published be will book a – th grow explosive own it’s documenting busy been has Bank & Klink

y next trip to Iceland in January, and and January, in Iceland to trip next y m planning was I time, same very the At immediately. happening

broadcast abroad. Meanwhile Meanwhile abroad. broadcast been have that development it’s about documentaries several by

ojects, here was one I could absolutely see see absolutely could I one was here ojects, pr their develop and conceive then available, become to artists

in Klink & Bank is thriving, fueled fueled thriving, is Bank & Klink in interest International week! per events three of average rough

ectfully for months (even years) for some some for years) (even months for ectfully resp wait I sometimes whilst and born was project A excitement!

gular open days for public. A A public. for days open gular re and dance, and theatre in premieres 15 exhibitions, 31 Ros),

around my desktop. I was dizzy with with dizzy was I desktop. my around and around rotated it as screens over flowing work past his of

ches, Fennesz, Poni, Trabant, Sigur Sigur Trabant, Poni, Fennesz, ches, Pea (including concerts touring international and local 40 over

of the first Animatograph, with projections projections with Animatograph, first the of 3D in rendering quick-time a received I later weeks of couple A

events. So far there have been been have there far So events. open of program packed a by fed – interest public intense been

Reykjavik’s artistic life. There has has There life. artistic Reykjavik’s for point centre a become has Bank & Klink year a over just In

l in his laptop. laptop. his in l al them has already he horizons, other of dreams theater German

By Jörg van der Horst der van Jörg By ual language, and whilst the bad boy of of boy bad the whilst and language, ual vis rich extraordinarily Schlingensief’s of images with layered

ank space. ank B & Kink the in Animatograph work his created has Schlingensief

nother. A matrix of expression, that is is that expression, of matrix A nother. a or form art one by defined not is that position a of language

in Paris. Most recently Christoph Christoph recently Most Paris. in Pompidou Centre the the at exhibiting currently is and artists A „LIFEMACHINE“ BY CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF CHRISTOPH BY „LIFEMACHINE“ A

e Over Thirty” in Miami. It is the the is It Miami. in Thirty” Over e Anyon Trust “Don’t of production Graham Rodney and Oursler Tony

ollaboration with resident resident with ollaboration c in made was which McCarthy, Paul and Rhoades Jason by Project

< > Graham, Dan the through recently eaning l been have I that language a with together perfectly fit ideas

THE ANIMATOGRAPH ANIMATOGRAPH THE Plug Sheep the as such pieces scale large including works, new of production and development

together with the “tourbillion” of images and and images of “tourbillion” the with together charm seductive His aghast! me left which language, visual a

e also used the space for the the for space the used also e hav artists visiting these of Many seminars. and installations,

back and forth developing his ideas through through ideas his developing forth and back jumping another, to continent one from music, with “Parsifal”

including theatre, concerts, concerts, theatre, including kinds all of projects visiting for open also is Bank and Klink

of images, video clips, entire acts of of acts entire clips, video images, of stream a of hours two through me rushed He analyst. political

music, as well as being a well informed informed well a being as well as music, and literature classical of depository a is speed extraordinary

ccording to need. need. to ccording a adapting and developing continually is space The workshops.

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KlinK&BanK Animatograph The

The Animatograph KlinK&BanK The Animatograph KlinK&BanK in which I had worked up to that time with the viewer to create a "Like a life-sized photographic plate, the Animatograph captures not diversity and flexibility exponentially by means of its external any kind of stage direction. The actionistic potential will range Gesamtorganismus, a synthesis of art and life in which the viewer no only the materials of the respective location, but also its light mobility. Accordingly, Christoph Schlingensief has already held from simple words or music through artistic adornment and longer merely views, but steps out of his world into the vision-and- exposure, the acoustic and energetic charge it receives through the preliminary negotiations for taking the project to locations such configuration of the installation to cultural or religious rituals. The shadow world of the Animatograph, which he exposes like a photo- people of that location." as Iceland, Namibia, the USA and central Asia for filming. There performative happenings will be documented on film, acoustically graphic plate with his experiences and energy charges." Christoph Schlingensief, 2005 are also plans to present and further develop the >The and in photographs. Christoph Schlingensief, 2005 Animatograph< at the Burgtheater in Vienna, the Nationaltheater >The Animatograph< consists of various parts. On its base, it is a Reykjavik in Iceland, the Volksbühne in Berlin etc. In addition, The project picks up efforts of first English film producer Robert giant revolving stage, divided into numerous spatial segments to other institutions have expressed interest in holding appropriate William Paul (1869-1943), to follow "the trace of events" with a be used as projection surface to essential films by Christoph exhibitions of the >The Animatograph<. new camera eye and to take part in a "modern model of cultural Schlingensief, Each segment will feature four to six newly edited information", which was created by development of photography, looped film sequences and will function like an independent cell, On the revolving stage, a constantly fluctuating space-and-life stage technology, illustrated press an early film. producing and building its own dynamics of an idiosyncratic world is installed, which, through new constructions, projections installation. Like an animate compound, the full beauty and power and, especially, its accessibility for visitors, continually changes "The possibilities of moved photographs are not in is revealed in the combination of the different cells. The growth of and develops, without aiming for any particular final objective. the least used so far." each cell will happen live in front of the spectator’s eye. At the Instead, the focus is on in-between times, our in-between time, Robert W. Paul, 1896 same time, the spatial layering of the work psychically takes in the moment – one’s own little experience in the great and endless the viewer, who is in the centre of action. >The Animatograph< cosmos of the whole. not only offers insight into a moving and cross-fading – i.e. living Here (in the modern myth) as there (classical myths), the focus is – installation; it lets the viewer actually enter into and act upon on the human being and the human being’s relationship with the installation, which is thereby brought to life. nature and with beings such as gods or cultural heirs (heroes). The human being is the organ that activates the spatial body, the The object is to discover and project the beliefs and stores of "Life Machine". The human being’s eye is the camera that photo- knowledge of a community as well as the things that keep the graphs the world. >The Animatograph< not only becomes visible, individual anchored in the world. In the search for the modern it becomes perceivable. It is necessary to animate it and explore it, myth, the basic equipment includes specific fragments from Nordic, to perceive it as an open stage, as a – to paraphrase Shakespeare – or to be more precise, old Icelandic lore (the "Edda"), Germanic "stage of life". mythology and African (nature) religions. The "Edda" contains visions ("Prophecy of the Vala") in which human beings are Schlingensief’s spatial concept radically calls into question the confronted with higher powers, gods and heroes, visions that are principles of the ubiquitous White Cube and Black Box of contem- to be put on film for >The Animatograph<. An explicit theme of porary art presentation. "In recent times, scarcely a single Germanic mythology is the search for worldly and divine bliss, as museum or exhibition of contemporary art has not made use of expressed, for example, in the Nibelungenlied and the legend of one or more darkened rooms", notes Chris Dercon. "Don't they look the Grail, a search which Schlingensief has already begun in his like modernistic Greenbergian, formalistic white cubes? […] The work with Wagnerian subject matter and which he intends to only difference is that now the white cube has been painted intensify in >The Animatograph<. black." No less artificial than the museum’s White Cube is the >The Animatograph<, first sketch (2004) On March 25th, 1896 Paul presented his Animatograph in the cinema’s Black Box. Its most distinctive feature, just as in the In African and also in Central Asian shamanism, the belief in gods London Alhambra Theatre, a projector, which he had first announ- "evenly lit space" of the White Cube, is isolation. >The and the experience of the inner self play an important role as a The 3rd cornerstone is the plan to integrate the local "models" of ced as Theatrograph, according to his own theatre experiences. Animatograph<, Christoph Schlingensief’s "Life Machine", is an social regulation mechanism for the community. By means of the the >The Animatograph< set up in locations throughout the attempt to open up this sealed construction. ritual integration of historic events through their symbolic reinter- world into the prototype by means of collected physical and 1891 Paul had opened Paul a factory for electrical instruments. pretation, these cultures hope to gain insight and strength for documentary fragments. The Small Animatographs, which will In 1894 he began to copy the Edison Kinetoskop, together with >The Animatograph<, the revolving space, increases its internal their present survival and for the safeguarding of their common differ from one another according to the culture and conditions of photographer Birt Acres. First film tests they showed at the future. Through ancient European cultural evidence, >The the weekly locations, will be integrated chronologically into the beginning of 1895. One year later Paul passed over to projection Animatograph< creates a bridge to the world of African shamans large stage installation and in the course of the project should procedure and presented his Theatrograph on February 20th, 1896. and to the living tradition of Asian religious rituals, transforming produce, literally, a cultural superstructure, a modern myth, a A public demonstration followed on March 19th at the Egyptian them through the instruments of art (and through art itself) into truly Great Animatograph. Hall in Picadilly Circus. Artist David Devant projected all overlaying the here and now. Ancient archetypes, which >The mobile photographs on stage of the theatre. Shortly after Paul Animatograph< projects onto our era. briefly renamed the equipment Animatograph, because the theatre notation did not appear to him trend-setting enough. He set great The realization of the >The Animatograph< is based on 3 store by the versatile usability of the Animatograph. It wasn´t his cornerstones: Presentation (Cornerstone 1), Performance goal to reform the old medium (theatre) by new film; his goal was (Cornerstone 2) and Integration (Cornerstone 3). The 1st a medium-spreading culture apparatus, which projected not only cornerstone involves the planning, construction and introduction on static stage, but even out of the illusory worlds on the real of the animatographic prototype. It is being planned in Berlin, and world stage. will be built at "Klink & Bank" in Reykjavik, which can be used as a workshop, and introduced to the public for the first time there. into projections that are of different size and scale, multiple, and that take in the whole space simultaneously. The necessity of going beyond the scope of the The prototype will then serve as the actual stage installation for framed projection screen (or of the framed box of the theatre stage, for that mat- "The Animatograph is not an artificial eye, not a camera, but a presentation (Great Animatograph). >Theter) Animatograph< goes hand in hand with an architectural understanding of film space. human visual organ. It is the viewer seeing himself and, in doing The next goal is to produce a mobile animatographic "framework A "Life Machine"“Like a life-sized (1905–2005 photographic ) plate, >The Animatograph< captures not only the so, leaving traces, the way images leave traces on the retina." structure" for use in theaters and museums. materials of the respective location, but also its light exposure, the acous- tic and energetic charge it receives through the people of that location.” In contrastChristoph to itsSchlingensief, mythological 2005 models, >The Animatograph< gives Christoph Schlingensief, 2005 The 2nd, performative cornerstone is the "model" of the prototype its viewers and occupants no guidelines for learning lessons for (Small Animatograph). It will be in continual use at the locations >The Animatograph< consists of various parts. On its base, it is a giant revolv- theiring own stage, personal divided into use. numerous >The spatial Animatograph< segments to be used reflects as projection and surface >The Animatograph< unites different elements of visual and of the actionistic performances, each of which is to last a week (7 projects;to essential in the films end, by Christophit lives Schlingensief,in the attitudes, Each segment hopes will andfeature fear fours toof its performing arts into a new format. Following avant-garde film and days). The performative character will not, basically, involve "humansix newly organs". edited loopedIn this film way sequences it signifies and will function for each like individualan independent (and cell, producing and building its own dynamics of an idiosyncratic installation. Like an theatre and their respective aesthetic paradigms, the Animato- Christoph Schlingensief’s assuming a moderating function, as was for eachanimate individual compound, the differently) full beauty and the power confrontation is revealed in the ofcombination the genu of theine graph formulates a breaking up of the projection field into projec- the case, for example, in his "Bahnhofsmission" in Hamburg (1997) Self withdifferent the cells. aesthetic The growth sphere, of each cellin whichwill happen authenticity live in front of(= theNatur spectae),- tor’s eye. At the same time, the spatial layering of the work psychically takes tions that are of different size and scale, multiple, and that take and his container happening "Bitte liebt Österreich" during the achievementin the viewer, (= whoCulture) is in the and centre belief of action. (= Transcendence) >The Animatograph< not merge only offers with in the whole space simultaneously. The necessity of going beyond Vienna Festival 2000. Instead, the installation is to be set up at all one another,insight into dissolvinga moving and cross-fadingthe boundaries – i.e. living between – installation; realities it letsand the ar ts viewer actually enter into and act upon the installation, which is thereby brought the scope of the framed projection screen (or of the framed box of different kinds of public locations for the use of everyone present. to createto life. an animated reality, a living art – an animatography. the theatre stage, for that matter) goes hand in hand with an The human being is the organ that activates the spatial body, the “Life Machine”. The human being’s eye is the camera that photographs the world. >The Animatograph< architectural understanding of film space. The short-term goal of each performative happening is to achieve not only becomes visible, it becomes perceivable. It is necessary to animate it and Models for Iceland (April 2005) explore it, to perceive it as an open stage, as a – to paraphrase Shakespeare – as much actionism as possible, withoutand Burgtheater, instructions Vienna (December and2005) without Tobias Buser “stage of life”. 9 On the revolving stage, a constantly fluctuating space-and-life world is in- stalled, which, through new constructions, projections and, especially, its ac- cessibility for visitors, continually changes and develops, without aiming for any particular final objective. Instead, the focus is on in-between times, our in-between time, the moment – one’s own little experience in the great and endless cosmos of the whole. Here (in the modern myth) as there (classical myths), the focus is on the human being and the human being’s relationship with nature and with beings such as gods or cultural heirs (heroes). The object is to discover and project the beliefs and stores of knowledge of a community as well as the things that keep the individual anchored in the world. In the search for the modern myth, the basic equipment in- cludes specific fragments from Nordic, or to be more precise, old Icelandic lore (the “Edda”), Germanic mythology and African (nature) religions. The “Edda” con-

Left: Iceland May 2005 Top: Lüderitz, Namibia October 2005 Right page: Burgtheater, Vienna January 2006 Photo: Georg Soulek 10 tains visions (“Prophecy of the Vala”) in which human beings are confronted with higher powers, gods and heroes, visions that are to be put on film for >The Ani- matograph<. An explicit theme of Germanic mythology is the search for worldly and divine bliss, as expressed, for example, in the Nibelungenlied and the leg- end of the Grail, a search which Schlingensief has already begun in his work with Wagnerian subject matter and which he intends to intensify in >The Animatograph<. In African and also in Central Asian shamanism, the belief in gods and the experi- ence of the inner self play an important role as a social regulation mechanism for the community. By means of the ritual integration of historic events through their symbolic reinterpretation, these cultures hope to gain insight and strength for their present survival and for the safeguarding of their common future. Through ancient European cultural evidence, >The Animatograph< creates a bridge to the world of African shamans and to the living tradition of Asian religious rituals, transforming them through the instruments of art (and through art itself) into the here and now. Ancient archetypes, which >The Animatograph< projects onto our era. 11 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< ICELAND EDITION. DESTROY THINGVELLIR. AT THE 2005 REYKJAVIK ARTS FESTIVAL

The German artist, filmmaker, and theater director Christoph Schlingensief has de- veloped a mobile revolving stage installation entitled >The Animatograph< for the 2005 Reykjavik Arts Festival. This contribution to the Icelandic festival, which was co-produced by Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, will be presented for the first time with a performance by Christoph Schlingensief at the Klink og Bank Gallery in Reykjavik on 14 May 2005.

“And the earth rifted apart and revealed a gash.”

“Here at this place, where the New and Old Worlds drift apart at a rate of 8 mm a year, the prototype of >The Animatograph< comes into being. A soul writer. A walk-on photo plate. An organic body situated between mankind’s oldest wish for government (Thingvellir) and the house of ungovernable obses- sions (Holmur). Here, on this earth crust fringe, spirits ride our bodies; here the biggest film I’ll ever make begins. From this fringe, we will travel the earth, crossing cultural and civilizational rape crime scenes to reach the African underworld in October, to search for the hammer, to make holes in the walls to our neighbors next door, and, after announcing to the world the ostrich egg, to fly to Nepal, and from there to the plastic coffins in- side the American twin tomb... A dream I fulfill for myself. For anyone who casts a look at >The Animatograph< exposes it. And anyone who steps onto it is Photos pp. 12/13: exposed.” Christoph Schlingensief Iceland May 2005 12 13 Thingvellir, 50 km east of the Iclandic capital Reykjavik, is the place where the oldest existing national parliament convened in 930 AD, situated on the edge of a deep earth crack where the North-American and Eurasian continental plates drift apart several millimeters every year. Here, order and obsession coincide from which the idea of government and the forces of nature emanate.

At this magic place, Christoph Schlingensief developed his most recent project, >The Animatograph< – Iceland Edition. Destroy Thingvellir. His provocative view of the paranoid, claustrophobic, and obsessive inclinations of human nature shows the human torn between good and evil. Man’s confrontation with higher powers such as spirits, gods, and mythical heroes is an expression of this struggle in which rituals of pu- rification and symbolical metamorphosis play an important role, too. Schlingensief draws on, and combines, Nordic-European, African and Asian spiritual traditions and interweaves filmic visions of the Wagnerian interpretation of the legend of the Holy Grail with shamanistic traditions and Nordic sagas such as the “Edda”.

>The Animatograph<, a projection apparatus from early film history, combines ele- ments of the visual and performing arts into a new format. The revolving stage construction, an “actionist photo plate”, is used both as a recorder and as a film and sound projector. Live interventions are supplemented with overlapping film Drawing: Tobias Buser projections and sound environments. May 2005 Photos pp. 14/15: Shooting for the Animatograph Iceland May 2005

15 Left: Costume designs Iceland, April 2005 Drawing: Aino Laberenz Below: Design for the ostrich Drawings: Aino Laberenz   

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            “And the graves opened, and many bodies of the deceased rose and went from  their graves into town, and appeared to many. They laid hold on people and   wrapped them in canvas so as to make an image of them.”     >The Animatograph< is based on a series of new films, shot on different locations  in Iceland in collaboration with local artists, musicians, and (amateur) actors.   The performance character of the installation undercuts the usual one-direc-  tional communication between actors and audience and involves viewers as partici- – pants, renouncing the sole authority of the author with regard to the reading of   the work: Schlingensief unfolds the narrative through the use of filmic and media  paradigms.    Christoph Schlingensief sees his project as a living organism, which reloads at   every stop along its way. With its “Icelandic collectibles”, >The Animatograph<  travels on to Namibia, Nepal, and the USA.    “Every exposure to light needs the dark. >The Animatograph< is the dark side   of this exposure.” Christoph Schlingensief

With the support of: Hauser & Wirth, Zurich London, The National Theater of Ice- Leaflet for foundation of the Party Iceland, May 2005 land, Reykjavik, Klink og Bank, Reykjavik, and Landsbanki Islands 16 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< - ICELAND EDITION. DESTROY THINGVELLIR “House of Parliament / House of Obsession” by Christoph Schlingensief Klink & Bank, Reykjavik May 13-15, 2005

Commissioned by Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary In collaboration with the Klink & Bank

Artistic Director: Christoph Schlingensief Actors: Karin Witt, Klaus Beyer, Christoph Schlingensief, Jörg van der Horst, Arnar Jónsson, Björn Thors, Eigill Heidar, Anton Pálsson, Gudrún Gísladóttir, Lilja Gudrún Porvaldsdóttir, Nína Dögg Filipusdóttir, Ólafur Eigilsson, Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Unnur Stefánsdóttir Artists from Klink & Bank for “Prize Ceremony” at Thingvellir: Gudmundur Oddur Magnússon, Daniel Björnsson, Snorri Asmundsson, Sirra Sigurdardottir, Erling Klingenberg, Sigridur Björg Sigurdardottir, Omar Stefansson, Nina Magnusdottir, Unnar Audarson Construction: Thekla von Mülheim, Tobias Buser, Ulfur Grönvold, Daniel Björsson, Pall Banine, Pall Einarsson Property Master: Harry Johansson Sound-Design: David Por Jonsson, Helgi Svavar Helgason Helping Hands: Lars Skjalbriea, Finnur Ragnarsson, Petur Hauksson, Gudmundur Hauksson Lights: Björn Gudmundsson Costume: Aino Laberenz Camera: Kathrin Krottenthaler, Henning Nass Editing: Kathrin Krottenthaler, Kristian Zalinsky Assistant to Director, research and ostrich: Jörg van der Horst Artistic and production advices: Henning Nass Production Management Germany: Anna Schulz, Holger Schulz Production Management Iceland: Nina Magnusdottir Production Management Austria: Daniela Zyman, Eva Ebersberger Graphic Design: Goddur (Gudmundur Oddur Magnusson) Webdesign: Patrick Hilss Tea and picnics: Francesca von Habsburg Photos: Aino Laberenz, Christoph Schlingensief, Jörg van der Horst With special thanks to: The National Theater - Tinna Gunnlaugsdottir, Lydur Sigurdsson, Margret Sigurdardottir, Askell Gunnlaugsson at Toyota, Bjarni Ingolfsson at Vaka, Asgeir Fridgeirsson, Claudia Kaloff, Hedi Pottag, Nathalia Stachon, Arno Waschk und Philipp Krummel

With the support of: Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zürich, Isländisches Nationaltheater, Reykjavik, Isländische Landesbank.

REYKJAVIK ARTS FESTIVAL 2005 Christoph Schlingensief: >The Animatograph< – Iceland Edition. Destroy Thingvellir Klink og Bank Gallery Brautarholt 1, 105 Reykjavik Preopening with live performance: Friday, May 13, 2005 at 5 pm Opening with live performance: Saturday, May 14, 2005, at 7 pm Additional live performance: Sunday, May 15, 2005 at 7 pm Duration of the exhibition: May 18–June, 5, 2005, opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, from 2 pm to 6 pm Iceland May 2005 17 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< ODINS PARSIPARK. STIFTUNG SCHLOSS NEUHARDENBERG, NEUHARDENBERG, GERMANY

The Universe Has No Shadow Christoph Schlingensief in conversation with Gerhard Ahrens

GA: Some two weeks ago, you arrived at the airport of Neuhardenberg with your crew. Since then, you have worked on the German edition of your Animatograph. This is the second venue after Iceland.

CS: Actually, it’s the third venue because the first Animatography, ‘Parsifal’ at Bayreuth, was not declared a venue.

GA: ‘Parsifal’ would then have been the prelude of the Animatograph, as it is the prelude of the ‘Ring of the Nibelung’.

CS: Yes. This all came out of the primeval soup of the ‘pre’. Bayreuth was the pre-stage of the Animatograph in which the transformation of ‘Here time turns into space’ no longer occurs in the closed theater space; instead, the Anima- tograph as an organism was exposed to cosmic radiation in Iceland and also is here in Neuhardenberg. The environment becomes the organism’s elixir of life.

GA: The revolving stage with projections, which is at the heart of the Anima- tograph that you have developed, was also used by Piscator. And then, at the same time, Brecht tried to cope with the main problem of the theater, namely, how to effect the fusion of actor and spectator in space. This was later taken Photos pp. 18–21: Neuhardenberg up by Heiner Müller, who wanted to activate the audience by referring to August 2005

18 Brecht’s idea of the great debate. The goal was starting a broad discussion which directly leads to a different idea of democracy.

CS: Mentioning names like Piscator or Brecht—I would also include Müller and Schleef— is of course quite a burden. These are extremely high standards, and it’s terribly difficult to come up with something to show for in this field, in the sense of Dieter Roth or Beuys. This process of loving and embracing, the process of ‘letting all participate’, including nature and the place here, that was the moment to leave the trodden paths of the theater. Not to say: we’ll take the large hangar, but: we’ll go into the bunker to play there for one and a half hours. It was only by leaving the trodden paths that the Animatograph project was made pos- sible here. Some day, you drive around the airport premises, you turn hard to the left and drive into the woods where you suddenly discover a chimney and another wall. And you start thinking that this configuration must have some logic to it, almost like a constellation. This must lead somewhere or have some kind of meaning. So you get to a hidden place, a place of which nobody really knows how to get there. There are some locals who tell about the old days when weapons were stored here. You get to now them—beer helps—, and when it gets dark, they come out of their holes with their Kalashnikovs to shoot some hares. For the broad public, you have an air show next door, and this mini airport pretends to be an air traffic hub like Frankfurt.

19 You encounter things and forces that belong together this way and no other. These forces are not dead yet, which means that our corpses are still alive. We don’t simply crap up this ritualistic place here with our own ritual. I think that ac- tors like Horst Gelloneck or Helga and Achim von Paczensky with their personal strength are able to relate to things without bias or resentment. Karin Witt and Klaus Beyer, who both participated in the Icelandic Animatograph already, released incredible forces here, too. They paint, play, sing, and are important parts of the whole project. They all come in here, they find something and use it as an ob- ject. I’m trying myself to kind of plunge in so that I’m really ridden by some god or something. The images and symbols here are actually beginning to interact.

GA: So ‘Parsifal’ was the eve, the prelude of the Animatograph, the first evening is Iceland, and then there is a second evening, this is here at Neuhardenberg. This will be followed by Namibia and end with another edition at the Vienna

20 Burgtheater before you return to Iceland. The venue that you have found and chosen at Neuhardenberg is a high-security complex.

CS: Yes, this was an ammunition depot.

GA: This is a terrain with different buildings on it, which you have to explore walking and in which things are installed. It has got something of a paper chase.

CS: Bayreuth would deserve that kind of paper chase, too. As would the Burg- theater. I want to have the audience on the stage and lead them around. People must be able to walk around. The monopoly of the spectator sitting comfortably in his row must be broken. The spectator must go on an exploration. Here, you loose your bearings as soon as you drive up to this place. The people who come here, who pass this gate, do not know any longer where they are. On the on hand, you enter safely; on the other, there is this latent anxiety about what’s going to hap- pen. People have their expectations about me, you know, that something provocative might bounce right out of the bunker, spray cream squirting or what not … But this is not the case here. The spectator walking through will finally enter the Anima- tograph, a mausoleum with an open condolences book, and he will be like electri- cally charged by a multitude of impressions. And this is then documented. This is the most powerful weapon one has today, documentation, the memory. Activating the memory is always okay, but it is awfully difficult, too. That’s something I come to realize here once again. This is a very important point to make. The Icelandic Animatograph we produced by using the sudden emergent forces that we encountered driving through the vast landscape—encounters with the cosmos of the Edda, quotations, indications given by the locals. This resulted in a shimmering, almost Nepal-like state of mind. In Iceland, the Animtograph was a space in which people exposed themselves to sounds and images for almost an hour and a half. It’s most beautiful when you sit in there alone. The whole thing is pretty complex and intricate. The Animatograph is a living creature, an organism which decides on its own, through the forces operative in it, whether it wants to become even more intricate. It insists on representing the place it originates from. And it takes the place of the previous venue with it, so as to say: ‘This is my memory, this is my intuition, this is the intuitive field of forces stored inside me. You are all inside me.’ Sometimes it only takes five minutes for things to come together and to work. Actually, we work quite in the sense of the Edda method. The Icelandic word for ‘translate’ literally means ‘thaw’. We are in fact thawing out. We are frozen things afraid of being exposed to heat. We are just thawing out, and this 21 gives us a possibility of starting to flow; and that flow is a great liberation in the first place. Even if we know that, like in Wagner’s death of love, everything will end in a twilight of the Gods, in sorrow—born out of sorrow, died in sorrow. We were created out of nothingness and have become gods and yearn for humans to become nothing again, to become gods again, to be able to transform. This movement is right and important, but you must be able to wait for it to happen.

GA: The like should be done by the viewer and spectator.

CS: The ideal state would be to see yourself as the light you have to stare into until you are blinded. In fact, it is the most obvious things in most cases. Here space turns into time and time into space. You become part of the animatographic experiment yourself. That is the formula which is in there, but which everybody has to compute for himself. You may experience that you are sitting in an endless time machine here. My dream of the development of this organism, as far as I can see right now, some time, in three or five years from now, is building a sixteen- meter Animatograph with an all-round screen on which all films ever made for it are showing, permanently overlapping so that they develop into their own story; a story which I cannot correct any longer. The story is written by the Animatograph itself.

GA: What we have here now is a place contaminated by history. This is why, unlike in Iceland, there is no model of democracy here at Neuhardenberg that this place could work on. Instead, this is where the leaders Stalin and Hitler meet, and where Seelow comes into play, too; a place marked by what Heiner Müller called ‘the path of the tanks from Berlin to Moscow and back’. There are legions of dead here.

CS: Legions. We dug up the ground here and there on the premises and found old boxes of black and white film, totally rotten. We took them to Geyer ...

GA: Schlingensief the archeologist.

CS: Yes, that is something I have in common with Kluge, and with Heiner Müller, but also with Mr. Jones or Mrs. Smith next door. Sometimes we dig up flower beds in the garden and find the bodies of dead children. We did not know anything about this, or maybe we have always wondered why this woman had so incredibly luxuriant Photos pp. 22/23: flowers in her garden. That is the question here, too. Is it all being overgrown? Neuhardenberg August 2005 What is growing together here? We did digs on the airport premises and found film Drawing p. 23: Christoph Schlingensief boxes. The contamination of this place, that whole ammunition that polluted the 22 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< - ODINS PARSIPARK Kampf der Götter - Die Reise zum Mittelpunkt der Erde Deutschland-Edition - “Midgard---Ragnarök / Götterdämmerung” Erste ur- animatographische Installation mit sechs Aktionen

with and by Christoph Schlingensief Stiftung Schloss Neuhardenberg, Neuhardenberg, Germany August 19-21 and 26-28, 2005

In collaboration with Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary

Artistic Director: Christoph Schlingensief

Actors: Maria Baton, Klaus Beyer, Andrea Erdin, Horst Gelloneck, Sachiko Hara, Helga von Paczenski, Achim von Paczenski, Christoph Schlingensief, Björn Thors, Karin Witt

Stage: Thekla von Mülheim, Tobias Buser Stage Construction: Udo Havekost, Harry Johannsson

Costume: Aino Laberenz Costume Assistant: Lisa Kentner

Camera: Meike Dresenkamp, Kathrin Krottenthaler

Dramaturgy: Jörg van der Horst

Artistic and production advices: Henning Nass

Light Design: Voxi Baerenklau ground here has exposed and distorted the material. We found a Hitler-Stalin porn movie that we are going to show. It is an extremely realistic undertaking which Property Master: Markus M. Thormann goes for a truly communal organism much straighter than the functional party Webdesign: Jens Gerstenecker system, the church system etc. That’s why we show the Icelandic Animatograph as Assistent Director: Hedwig Pottag clothes dryers here. There are countless clothes dryers in the front gardens of Production Management: Celina Nicolay, Martin Siebert Neuhardenberg already, all of them Iceland-blue; this is where the laundry is dried and where the organism is caught on. Humans are chosen by history, they Technical coordination: Thomas Schröder Technical Assistant: Matthias Warias think they can take influence, and then they are hung out there to dry and finally drop to the ground to provide the humus for new strata of democracy. ‘The path Sound-Design: Jens Voigtländer continues, even if where it leads to has exploded.’ This is not fatalism; this is Video Technician: Jens Crull a sentence by Heiner Müller. Dieter Roth said: ‘The environment becomes the work, Light Technician: Hans Wiedemann and the work the environment.’ This puts the Animatograph in a nutshell. This is Press: Nana Poll, Jörg Kronsbein what I would wish for my work, that people don’t see as a declaration of war or arrogance, but as an attempt, or a hope, of finding common ground. 23 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< UTGARD – THE AFRICAN TWIN TOWERS. LÜDERITZ, NAMIBIA

The following exposé describes the concept for a 90-minute feature film and a 45- minute “making-of” documentary. The films are being produced as part of a concep- tional gesamtkunstwerk comprised of the two films, an exhibition and two theatre installations on the same theme. At the beginning of a new millennium, in the face of terror, global division and sociological apocalypse, we have embarked upon a search for modern human beings.

THE STORY We tell the story of the brilliant, young, unsuccessful director Christoph, a modern Jack Smith, a megalomaniacal, highly gifted trouble-maker, who raucously squanders his energies in epic art in forgotten, irrelevant places.

His vision of a re-staging of the 11th of September in African slums, as a state- ment against globalisation and First World decadence, takes him away from his bankrupt, off-Broadway theatre to Lüderitz in Namibia.

The artistic director of the world’s largest Bach Festival and owner of the legen- dary Bach Mineral Water Springs, Wolfgang Bach, invites Christoph, at the recom- mendation of his daughter Katharina Bach, to undertake the direction of a staged performance of the St. Matthew Passion in his festival theatre in the desert.

Photos pp. 24–27 Bach suffers from creative stress resulting from his name and his heritage. Out of (except when noted differently): fear of ruining the family legacy, his decisions have never transcended safe medi- Lüderitz, Namibia October 2005 ocrity. For years, his wife Gudrun has harboured the secret wish to take over 24 Namibia, May 2004, preparation for Parsifal Photo: Christoph Schlingensief

her indecisive husband’s position as intendant of the festival. His choice of the infamous Christoph as stage director is the most courageous of his whole life, and accordingly Gudrun does not welcome it at all.

Together with his faithful, eternally-doubting dramaturgist Carl, Christoph trav- els to Africa.

Inspired by German colonial architecture in the midst of the expansive African landscape and corrugated iron slums, he is transported into a state of creative euphoria and commissions the construction of eight-metre-high twin towers, in order to fabricate an “African” Manhattan. His ideas grow to monumental heights.

Namibia, May 2004 He asks an artist friend from South Africa to construct a 25-metre-long airplane Preparation for Parsifal out of tin sheets and transport it from South Africa to Namibia, so that it may be Photo: Jörg van der Horst flown into the wooden twin towers at the première. Full of energy and enthusiasm, Christoph’s team sets to work, but these German- American avengers of the Third World have underestimated the paralyzing effects of the African heat, flora and fauna. The sand, the desert environment and the heat drain their energies. While Carl falls in love with a local team assistant and at the same time develops a paranoid terror of being infected by AIDS, Christoph becomes entranced by the slums and by young Katharina Bach. But it is not only as a potential son-in-law that Christoph falls into increasing disfavour in Lüderitz. His sweeping, modernistic production ideas, which include using hundreds of black extras, are by no means welcomed by the traditionally oriented Bachs.

The presence of the visionary Christoph, eaten up by mosquitoes and self-doubt, shatters not only the myth of eternally repeated German classics at the festival 25 theatre in Lüderitz, but also the ostensibly perfect façade of the Bach family. Mother Gudrun Bach’s animal characteristics come to the fore, along with patriarch Wolfgang’s long-concealed inferiority complex.

Open warfare breaks out among the Bachs. Conflicts buried for years beneath sand, heat and traditions erupt, and focus on Christoph. Freed of the trammels of a so- cially imposed addiction to harmony, ugliness bursts out of the Bachs and finally forces Wolfgang to confess the long-hidden, dark secret of his university years in Berlin, which directly connects Christoph’s destiny with that of the Bachs. Wolfgang’s confession leads to the collapse of the family. Katharina flees; Gudrun, goaded by fury and anguish, gathers a lynch mob around her and prepares to retaliate.

Carl, meanwhile, who is becoming increasingly embroiled in his obsession with the young team assistant and his fear of AIDS, is unable give much support to Christoph, whose only shimmer of hope is the arrival of the tin airplane. The postcolonial ideal plunges into social anarchy, and into this rolls the only constant, the 25-metre-long tin plane on its way to Lüderitz.

On the evening of the première, while the performance is in progress, there is a final showdown between Gudrun, her lynch mob and Christoph. The mob chases Christoph through the steppe, catches him, and cruelly tortures him, venting their pent-up aggressions against him in unbelievable brutality. Almost miraculously, Christoph manages to escape at the very height of their frenzy. Beaten, bleeding, with his last ounce of strength and galvanized by the final music of his monumental stage produc- 26 tion, he drags himself back to the festival theatre. But there Gudrun and her henchmen are waiting for him. Christoph is trapped; straining every last nerve in a desperate effort to survive, he manages to get onto the stage, closely followed by Gudrun.

At that moment, the curtain opens for the ensemble to take their bows. In the glaring spotlights the two of them stand in front of the singers to tumultuous applause for the triumphant première.

>THE ANIMATOGRAPH< At the same moment, Wolfgang’s ancestor Majaestro, who for Wolfgang has always UTGARD - THE AFRICAN TWINTOWERS represented the embodiment of an unreachable ideal, appears beside him in his loge Lüderitz, Namibia and welcomes him to Valhalla. In view of Christoph’s triumphal new production of with and by Christoph Schlingensief the St. Matthew Passion with Wagner quotations as a sociopolitical statement, October 24-26, 2005 Majaestro now permits Wolfgang to take his place at his side, for at last he feels that the legacy of his genius is being properly administered. Wolfgang dies. In collaboration with Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary and Sammlung Julia Stoschek, Burgtheater Vienna, On the day of Wolfgang’s funeral, before the picturesque backdrop of Lüderitz be- Film Funds in Brandenburg, Baden-Würtemberg, Filmstiftung neath the sinking African sun, the discordant parties achieve a reconciliation. NRW, Arte/Theaterkanal, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz Katharina returns home and asks her father posthumously for forgiveness. Artistic Director: Christoph Schlingensief

Gudrun admits defeat and Christoph leads the funeral procession, followed by his Actors: Irm Hermann, Patti Smith, Klaus Becker, Karin Witt, Norbert van Losch, Robert Stadlober, Stefan Kolosko, Björn Thors, former enemies and old friends, while Mahalia Jackson sings her Gospel. Dirk Rohde, Katharina Schlothauer, Christiane Tsoureas, Sir Mohamad, King, Collin, Udo, Tobi, Susibe Together they all walk into the sunset. 27 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< AREA 7 – MATTHÄUSEXPEDITION BY CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF. BURGTHEATER, VIENNA

Joseph Beuys Elfriede Jelinek Hosea Dzingirai Dieter Roth Christoph Schlingensief Patti Smith Wilhelm I. + II.

Total Art Slum From Icelandic Cellars into the Vienna Burgtheater by Jörg van der Horst

Before the Animatograph will hit the main auditorium of the Wiener Burgtheater in January 2006, the asteroid of wood, steel, and canvas will already have completed a remarkable journey of almost 20,000 kilometers in nine months. Roughly, this corresponds to the total distance from Reykjavik to Neuharden- berg, from Neuhardenberg to the Township AREA7 and on to Lüderitz and Vienna, that is, to the places where the asteroid has hitherto left creatively proliferating crater landscapes. Physically, 20,000 kilometers in nine months is not exactly light speed, though, metaphysically, it neverthe- less bears evidence of an enormous kinetic potential. A normal pregnancy takes nine months. When it comes to its end happily, the social womb, according to Beuys, delivers a child of the old arts (theater, painting, opera, film …), and a new notion of art is brought into the world which is a single stage, all the more so in our times of pervasive mediocracy. In the productive chaos of the Animatograph which keeps busily rotating on and beside its revolving sta- ges, such a birth cannot be a coincidence. It is only by cross-breeding oppo- sites that energy is produced. “We are”, Peter Sloterdijk accordingly says, “not in the world like the ring on the finger or the fly in the glass; we belong to it like the leap to the void, the arrow to the blue or the image to the projector.” The Animatograph is us! 28 Aria for Christoph My father My father In the sea I wept with shame For unconquered dreams As life drained My father Photos pp. 28–35: My tears Burgtheater, Vienna Mocked by the sea January 2005 An actor held in chains Photo p. 28: Georg Soulek Of tortured scenes Yet deliverance Appeared to me She prayed at my feet We rose as children To climb a ladder of gold Our ship shall see no river Yet hope shall hold Our vessel of fire My father king again Our tears of joy Mock the rain My father My father As dreams ordain The brightest flame Patti Smith

Under the title of “House of Obsession” the first Animatograph, a project commissioned by TBA21, was put into operation at the Reykjavik Art Festival in May 2005. In Iceland, they say, the gods come to the surface because there the earth’s crust is thinnest. Schlingensief documented this paranormal occurrence and then, af- ter capturing them on film, took the spirits, gods, and gods’ birds back into the interior of the earth. On the premises of a once empty underground vault, they worked together to build a course of mediati- zed and real single images which one had to wander through, collec- ting images, before one came across the revolving stage, the heart of the Animatograph, in the main room of this mythological installati- on. Actually, it was more about not being merely confronted with this image catapult, but to conquer and experience it, to walk onto it and into the barrage of overlapping projections which bombarded the final act setting of a closed moral (theater) institution about to be wound up. Here, in the dark of an oversized, horizontal and hence walkable photographic plate, one could see it all through, taking a look of oneself and bringing to life again the world of Nordic sagas as if by the working of the gods: Man is metaphysics. 29 Photos pp. 30/31: Georg Soulek

The “House of Obsession” literally was an underground movement that came to the light of day and took Beuy’s (r)evolutionary idea of a humane and pleasurable because accessible art out into the world; more precisely, into a piece of wood- land in Brandenburg which, in the era of an ostensible revolution of a different kind, had been reserved to the East-German National People’s Army. So it came about that, in “Odin’s Parsipark” in Neuhardenberg near Berlin, stories met histo- ry, myths met people, and art met life. The Icelandic Animatograph and its German after-image, a second revolving stage by the name of “Ragnarok/Twilight of the Gods” seized the power of images in the old ammunition depots, transforming them, in honor of the ubiquitous Parsifal, into spaces for our time. Here, finally, art waged war on art, breaking boundaries and liberating the view from viewing habits. To the visitors of this battleground, Schlingensief posed the task of projecting themselves into these monumental images, of entering the field of force and kee- ping the Animatograph in continuous rotary movement. Odin, the one-eyed among us blind, was not to have sacrificed himself at the World Ash Tree in vain. The real loser is he who shuns the nightmare! Burgtheater, Vienna January 2006 Drawing: Christoph Schlingensief Against the background of the shooting of “African Twin Towers”—the story of a megalomaniac festival director who wants to put an opera on the stage in the most adverse conditions in Lüderitz, Namibia, the former German South-West Africa, and has a revolving stage built in the midst of a slum—, the Animatograph cuts film 30 31 Photos pp. 32/33: Georg Soulek

32 off from the light it feeds on. In the film, film is declared dead, and the play of light returns to a theater of shadows. The remains of its existence, film reels, are buried in the sea sand by Icelandic gods. The characters, clearly outlined in the beginning, become blur- red and fragmented. What we are faced with here is the dead living and the living dead who, quite in the sense of Bunuel, are struck by a storm of mythical dreams. Thus the animatographic movement in art has made its way out of art. The priests resign, and the gods take over. In the film, the stage is eventually built, but used as an Af- rican variant of the Animatograph. Reality breaks into fiction. The film has disappeared, the opera is a failure, and there is no more talk of theater. Art is just a rumor, which is a wish come true for every Beuys disciple. The boat that is installed on the revolving stage in the Namibian AREA7 (and subsequently sets its prayer-flag sails in the Vienna AREA7) operates on the principle of Noah’s Ark which informs total art: all images, all dreams, scraps, flotsam and jetsam, remains of art are taken aboard to save them from the Deluge of Meaning of pseudo high culture, to breathe new life into, and give new birth to, them in another evolution of art here at the cradle of

33 humanity. This also describes the principle of the Animatograph—image catapult, soul writer, world design—which Schlingensief wants to take on to Nepal and Brazil from Iceland, Neuhardenberg, Lüderitz, and Vienna to make it accessible for every- body.

If, after walking through and out of the Vienna AREA7 again, it takes a few mo- ments to become aware that one is in a theater, precisely, the Burgtheater, the Animatograph will have served its purpose. In fact, the theater will have served its purpose again (for a change), because it ceased being theater. One might even have mistaken the Animatograph for life, in the best case, for one’s own life in which one usually also takes more space than just a numbered seat. Then—a little pathos must be permitted!—one will have made a journey to oneself. There is not much farther to go. We are no artists, thank the gods. We are still alive!

34 AREA 7 Matthäusexpedition by Christoph Schlingensief

Joseph Beuys, Elfriede Jelinek, Hosea Dzingirai, Dieter Roth, Christoph Schlingensief, Patti Smith, Wilhelm I. + II.

Cast & Crew (Mitwirkende): Jovita Domingos-Dendo, Sachiko Hara, Irm Hermann, Karin Lischka, Maia Sastraposhvili, Karin Witt, Abate Ambachew, Klaus Beyer, Vitan Bozinovski, Horts Gelonnek, Michael Gempart, Juergen Maurer, Dirk Rohde, Prince Johns, Hermann Scheidleder, Christoph Schlingensief, Christian Scheibmüller, Bernhard Schütz, Robert Stadlober, Björn Thors, Patti Smith

Director (Leitung): Christoph Schlingensief Construction (Konstruktion): Thekla von Mülheim/Tobias Busser Costume Designer (Kostüm): Aino Laberenz Light (Licht): Norbert Joachim Dramaturgy (Dramaturgie): Jörg van der Horst/Joachim Lux/Henning Nass Music & Sound Designer (Musik & Sounddesign): Uwe Altmann Video & Cut (Video & Schnitt): Kathrin Krottenthaler/Meike Dresenkamp

Assistent Director (Regieassistenz): Barbara Nowotny/Sophia Simitzis Stage Setting Assistent (Bühnenbildassistenz): Andrea Flachs Costume Assistent(Kostümassistenz): Dagmar Bald/Veronika Mund Video Assistent(Videoassistenz): Marlene Prainsack Trainee Director(Regiehospitanz): Michael Csar/Sarah Wulbrandt Stage Setting Trainee(Bühnenbildhospitanz): Gabriela Neubauer Dramaturgy Trainee(Dramaturgiehospitanz): Katharina Zobler

Prompter (Souffleuse): Isolde Friedl Stage Manager (Inspizienz): Roman Dominger Stage Engineer (Bühnentechnik) : Gerhard Weese Illuminator (Beleuchtung) : Manfred Kouril Associate Producer (Produktionsbetreuung): Michael Hahnekamp Requisite (Requisite): Martin Dürr/Herbert Knor/Harald Koral Audio Engineer/Audio Arranger(Tontechnik/Toneinrichtung): Florian Pilz/David Müllner Video Engineer/Video Arranger (Videotechnik/Videoeinrichtung): Stefan Göbl/Alexander Richter

Technical Director (Technische Leitung): Heinz Filar Stage Technical Director (Bühnentechnik Leitung): Ernst Meissl Illumination Director (Leitung Beleuchtung): Friedrich Rom Audio Director (Leitung Tonabteilung): Christian Venghaus Multimedia Director (Leitung Multimediaabteilung): Andreas Ryba Makeup (Maske): Herbert Zehetner/Margit Hadrawa Costume/Checkroom (Kostüm/Gaderobe): Gerlinde Häglhammer/Wolfgang Zach Casting Director (Leitung Komparserie): Wolfgang Janich Decoration-/Costume Designer (Dekorations-/Kostümherstellung): Art for Art Theaterservice GmbH Costume Director (Leitung Kostümwerkstätten): Annette Beaufays Associate Producer (Produktionsbetreuung): Benno Wand Decoration Director (Leitung Dekorationswerkstätten): Martin Kollin Associate Producer (Produktionsbetreuung): Christian Holesovsky

35 >THE ANIMATOGRAPH< BRAZIL EDITION – THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. MANAUS, BRAZIL, APRIL 2007

Photos pp. 36/37: Manaus, Brazil February 2006 MANAUS This 1.5 million city lies along the north bank of the Negro River, 11 miles (18 km) above its confluence with the Amazon (Solimões). It is located 900 miles Top and top right: (1,450 km) inland from the Atlantic coast in the heart of the Amazon rain forest. Opera House, Manaus, Brazil February 2006 As a major inland port (reached by oceangoing vessels from the Atlantic) it is a collecting and distribution center for the river areas of the upper Amazon.

The first European settlement on the site was a small fort (São Jose do Rio Negrinho) built in 1669. A small settlement developed and in 1850 became the capi- tal of the province of Amazonas. From 1890 to 1920 the rubber boom brought pros- perity to the city, actually to a few rubber barons who brutally used Indians to collect the latex from the rubber trees. During this period the great Opera House was constructed. The best entertainers from Europe and North America were brought in for the pleasure of the 100 or so families that then controlled the economy of the area. With the advent of synthetic rubber in the early 1920’s (as well as development of rubber plantations in SE Asia -- an Englishman Sir Henry Wickham “clandestinely” collected rubber seeds from the wild trees of the Amazon jungles) the economic importance of natural rubber, and consequently that of Manaus de- clined considerably. In the late 1970s the Brazilian government and private compa- nies began extensive development the mineral and agricultural wealth of the sur- rounding rain-forested region. To encourage even further commercial and tourist development Manaus has also been declared a “Zona-Franca” (duty free zone). 37 CONSTRUCTION KIT

SITE The Animatograph is intended to be erected in a more compact, darkened space due to projections and sound. Minimum room size: 9 x 9 meters. Alternatively, a wooden subconstruction needs to be build for the Animatograph if there is only an open room situation (s. sketch)

Above: Iceland, May 2005

Above right: Model for Iceland April 2005, Tobias Buser

Right: Quicktime renderings

Far right and p. 39 Iceland, April/May 2005 Drawings: Tobias Buser

38 DESCRIPTION OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SPACES (s. below and left)

Iceland, May 2005, Video Setting Drawing: Kathrin Krottenthaler

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES In additional to conventional installation equipment, the work will require: - Revolving Stage Diameter of stage: 8 meters To be required at: www.bumat.com - b/w copies of “Icelandic Party” to be mounted on a wall - b/w copies of “Edda” to be mounted on a wall - color prints of Icelandic film screening - 1 Car wreck - 1 fish tank (approx. 80 x 40 cm) with integrated lighting - 1 real big fish in formalin to be given in the fish tank - “Gauze” fabric used as projection screen for “police-film” (dimension vary with room situation) - 1 Table or wooden subconstruction for model “Thingvellir”

- Technical equipment: - Installation equipment: 5 projectors, ansilumen minimum: 3000 - Installation material -> screws, 5 DVD players with cables and wall mount fastening angle, anchors, lacing cords various cables and multiple power socket - Black/White/Red wall color and brushes - straw - optionally: dried fish - optionally: clothes horse TRANSPORTATION Crate / Packing material: 32 collis (incl. 1 big wooden crate) 39 CHRISTOPH SCHLINGENSIEF

Born on October 24, 1960, in Oberhausen, Germany. In 1981, he began to study German philology, philosophy, and art history, working on the side as assistant cameraman and making his first short films. 1983, he made is first feature entitled “Tunguska – Die Kisten sind da”, followed by a number of controversial self-produced movies such as “100 Jahre Adolf Hitler – Die letzte Stunde im Führerbunker” (1988/89), “Das deutsche Kettensägen- massaker” (1990), and “Terror 2000” (1992). In 1993, he made his debut as theater director with “100 Jahre CDU – Spiel ohne Grenzen” at the Berlin Volksbühne, where he has been a house director until today. This was followed by various projects outside the theater, as the 1997 “Passion Impossible – 7 Tage Notruf für Deutschland”, a Traveler’s Aid Agency project for junkies and homeless at the Hamburg Central Station, or his “Big Brother Container for Asylum Seekers” (2000), a project enti- tled “Bitte liebt Österreich!”, in which he demanded the resignation of the newly installed rightwing government and brought Austria on the verge of a national crisis. 1997, he enacted an art action “Überleben für Deutschland” at the documenta X. In 1998, he founded a politi- cal party named “Chance 2000” and campaigned fort he parliamentary elections. The party pro- gram was: “The party of minorities which are in the majority.” Schlingensief did numerous other TV, film, and theater projects. Today, Schlingensief works for main metropolitan theater in Vienna, Berlin, Zurich, and Frankfurt. In 2004, he directed a new production of “Parsifal” for the Bayreuth Wagner Festival.

Aside from his work as theater director and film-maker, Schlingensief also realized a number of projects and works in the domain of contemporary art. Among his best-known projects in this field is Church of Fear, a work in which he discussed common notions such as ideology, sectarianism and religion and which, after its first-time performance at the 2003 Venice Biennale, will be shown at the Cologne Ludwg Museum. Christoph Schlingensief lives and works in Berlin.

Further information at www.schlingensief.com

40 THE FOUNDATION THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA ART CONTEMPORARY, VIENNA

A new foundation for contemporary art, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary – T-B A21 was founded by Francesca von Habsburg in Vienna, Austria. Its mission is to support through co-productions and unique commissions the creation of new works from artists that con- tribute important positions to the contemporary art practice. T-B A21 seeks to achieve this through multi-disciplinary projects that break down the traditional boundaries that define and categorize artistic expression in its different forms, whilst at the same time empowering the audiences with a living experience of contemporary artistic expres- sion. The work of the foundation brings innovation to the core of the Thyssen-Bornemisza fourth generation’s approach to collecting and patronizing the arts.

Chairman Francesca von Habsburg, Vienna

Trustees Norman Rosenthal, Royal Academy, London Peter Pakesch, Kunsthaus, Graz

Advisory board Olafur Eliasson, artist, Denmark/Iceland Simon de Pury, Phillips, New York, Zurich Diana Thater, artist, California Peter Weibel, ZKM, Karlsruhe

Curator Daniela Zyman, Vienna

T-B A21 Himmelpfortgasse 13 1010 Vienna, Austria T +43 1 513 98 56 F + 43 1 513 98 56-22 [email protected] www.TBA21.org

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