Werner, Christina
Abendlandschaften / 2010-2012
video
The work focuses on asylum seekers and their social invisibility in Germany. Refugee homes are located mostly in the suburbs or near forests. In this context the ethnologist and anthropolist Marc Augé created the term „non places“.
People are distributed to places, whose areal and social structures are aligned to non-activity, waiting and abidance.
The video shows three different places recorded from the nightwalkers subjective view. It present places and paths around refugee homes. You hear the nightwalkers steps, surrounding noises and a voice from a refugee.
Direction and Concept: Christina Werner
selected takes of the video documention
Duration: 7 min 21 sec loop
Camera + Cut: Christina Werner
Technique: miniDV, 4:3
Copyright: 2010-2012
One Vision / 2010-2011
video installation
The installation consists of two video collages showing nature shots and images of tourist groups at Obersalzberg.
Obersalzberg is a mountain village which Adolf Hitler used as a retreat from 1923 and onwards.
1933 Hitler acquired „Haus Wachenfeld“ and had it rebuilt into a presentable residence, which was thereafter called „Der Berghof“.
Hitlers confidants, amongst others Hermann Göring, Martin Bormann and Albert Speer settled in homes within spitting distance.
More buildings arose, for example „Platterhof“ and „Kehlsteinhaus“.
The Nazi propaganda used the mountain viewings for presenting the Führer in the media.
Videostills „One Vision“ Part 1 + Part 2
Installation view „One Vision“, Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig, 2011
Video „One Vision“ Part 1
Video „One Vision“ Part 2
Technique
Video collage (part 1, part 2) cut from different YouTube videos showing Obersalzberg
Music: part 1 „Geburt einer Nation“, part 2 „Life is Life“; both songs composed by Laibach
Duration part 1: 4min 36sec / part 2: 4min 32sec
Presentation Base: oak, dark brown glazing / Two digital picture frames
15. Juli 2003 / 2010
Reenactment
On July 15th 2003, Seibane Wague died during a police and rescue operation. The circumstances of his death were video recorded by incidence by an observer, and therefore gained publicity fast. In the reenactment „15.Juli 2003“ the visitors become witness of the happening, reenacted by actors/dancers.
The reenactment was performed on may 20th, 2010 during the art festival „SOHO in Ottakring“ in a public place.
Performer: Judit Aguilar Cisneros, Salvador Armando Perez Flores, Lisz Hirn, Clara Montocchio, Clara Viola Plessing, Nicole Spröte, Yap Sun Sun, Miriam Taube
Direction and Concept: Christina Werner
selected takes of the video documention
Duration: 4 min 30 sec
Camera: Andreas Pamperl
Cut: Christina Werner
Technique: miniDV, 4:3
Copyright: 2010
Operation Spring / 2010
text installation, LED Display 1530x250x80mm, art festival „SOHO in Ottakring“, 2010
Text and video installation, temporary image monument
In may 1999, about 850 policemen searched houses, private rooms and hostels, where asylum seekers were accomodated. The name of the police action was „operation spring“. It was the biggest police operation in Austria since 1945. A few weeks before, the asylum seeker Marcus Omofuma died during the deportation from Vienna to Sofia. His death led to public demonstrations mainly by the african community in Austria.
Organizers and participants of the public demonstration were later arrested during the „Operation Spring“.
A temporary image monument is created with the collaboration of the exhibition visitors.
The participatory exhibition project is accompanied by videos and text installations.
Temporary image monument, approx. 3000x3000mm, art festival „SOHO in Ottakring“, 2010
Video „01.05.1999“
Duration: 2 min.
Camera & Director: Christina Werner
Actors: Martin Trippensee, Bruno Reitenbach
Technique: miniDV, 4:3
Copyright: 2010
Vertragsarbeiter / 2009
Series of 11 photos + Photo book
The photographic work and the narrative photo book „Vertragsarbeiter“ show images of former group homes of contract workers as well as archive material (newspaper articles, letters of national archive, Leipzig, a.s.o.)
Between 1966 and 1989 approximately 500.000 contract workers were employed in the former GDR. Contract workers were exclusively living in group homes. They came from former communist countries like Cuba, Mosambique, Vietnam, Hungary, Poland, etc.). An independent life outside these homes was not allowed. The collective accomodation in group homes led to isolation from the german inhabitants.
Installation view „Vertragsarbeiter“, Reunited-history forum 09, Maxim Gorki Theater Studio, Berlin, 2009; projection + reading
Vita
*1976 in Baar (CH)
Education
2013 Diploma with Prof. Alba D´Urbano and Prof. Tina Bara
2010-2013 Studies in Intermedia with Prof. Alba D´Urbano, Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig
2009-2013 Photography Class of Prof. Tina Bara
2007-2013 Studies in Photography, HGB Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig
Awards & Scholarships
2011 DAAD Award for foreign students
2010 Scholarship holder at the Dresdner Summer Academy
Exhibitions
2012 „Abendlandschaften“, Contemporary Art Ruhr (C.A.R.), Zollverein, Essen
2011 „One Vision“, Part 1 & 2; Rundgang; HGB Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig
2010 No-ISBN. „Salon für Kunstbuch. An Artwork as Enterprise“ at Museum of Contemporary Art (GFZK), Leipzig
2010 „Operation spring“ a temporary photo-monument, „15.07.2003“ a public reenactment, Soho in Ottakring; arts festival, Vienna (A)
2009 „Vertragsarbeiter“, photographic series, 60-40-20/20 Jahre Mauerfall; arts festival, Hamburg (D)
2009 „Vertragsarbeiter“, screening and readingReunited-history forum 09, Maxim Gorki Theater Studio, Berlin (D)