STEFAN DEMMING

STEFAN DEMMING
PROJECTS / PORTFOLIO
WORKS 2014 – 2007
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2
(A FAKE CIRCUS, 2010–2014)
INFLATABLE SCULPTURES
(INSTALLATIVE INTERVENTIONS, 2008–15)
ELÉG
(VIDEO, PRINTS, 2013)
AUDIOVISUAL CHOREOGRAPHIES
SpaceSpace (INSTALLATON, 2012)
Jungle camp (INSTALLATON, 2012)
The Seasaw chamber (INSTALLATON, 2011)
The edge of the city
(ARTISTIC RESEARCH, VIDEO, INSTALLATION, 2007-9)
Low Resolution
Camping Ensemble (GENERATIVE INSTALLATION, 2009)
Low Resolution Cinema (INSTALLATION, 2005-2007)
VITA
STUDIO: Karl-Marx-Strasse 58,12043 Berlin
MOB +49.16097704411 / mail@stefandemming.de ; www.stefandemming.de
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2
(2014 in cooperation with Mareike Hube)
DIE KLEINSTE SHOW DER WELT 2 – live!
(2014 in cooperation with Mareike Hube)
An improvised show with local heroes in a tent –
a fake circus as an intervention in public space, 2014
In a small town* we were looking for talents who
were ready to present their abilities and passion
during two weekends on stage.
We were excited to welcome and present:
Miss Natalija with a real python, girls from the gym
with a choregraphed performance, two gorillas
performing a Schuhplattler (styrian folk dance), the
local brass band with painted faces, two knights
and her boss Margot (who also performed as Nina
Hagen), the pakistani kids of the neighbour disguised as bankrobbers, yodelling Angie, retired
Dr. Helmut Drexler as arabian storyteller and poet,
half of a school class as Lucky Luke with a Pony,
Cupsingers and HipHop dancers, a poodle playing
football with three coaches, Bianca the rabbit magician, Michelle with a tight rope for drying her clothes, the strongest beatnik on earth, laughter yoga
coach Ilse, the artist Alexander who impersonated
a horse, a mosquito and a lion, a female Clown with
her heavy metal playing boyfriend (on a guitar, unplugged) and Anita, the smallest princess on earth.
Every show was different depending on the presence of our local stars.
Stefan Demming as the director annouced every
act and Mareike Hube accompagnied them with
live music. Outside, the sideshow welcomed the
audience.
* in Styria, Austria. in the framework of „Unternehmen Para-
dies“, a project by transparadiso, funded by KÖR Steiermark
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2
- a travelling show (in 14 places so far!)
Intervention in public spaces with a mobile cinema and a show
on a small stage in a tent, since 2010
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2 is a show about
the everyday life as well as the bygone glory of the
old circus.
A video in a mobile home shows circus as a real working place. In the tent an absurd spectacle featues
old circus movies. Director and gorilla take care of
the show.
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2 ,
in the tent: TEH SHOWSHOW / in the mobile home: JUST JOURNEY WITH THEM
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2
1. JUST JOURNEY WITH THEM
HD-video in a mobile home, 30‘, 2010
Sister Bernard and sister Dorothy are on tour throughout the US with a big circus. They live in a caravan
and run a Christian community service they call a
„ministry of presence“ for the more than 300 members of the circus that they accompagny.
Just journey with them, 2010 (stills)
THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH 2
2. THE SHOWSHOW
Installation in a tent, 2010
1 projection (found footage), animal objects, lights, 6-channelaudio, inflatables, blowers, lightcontrolers, computer, fabric, 1
tent (4 x 6 m); duration: 14‘ (Loop)
Sampeled extracts of older circus movies interact
with animals of porcellaine that are illuminated while
speaking: nostalgic and absurd moments mingle in
the cinematic and the real space.
The ShowShow, 2010 (installation views)
Inflatable sculptures
Tulip
Interactive sculpture, ca 6m high, 2014
Instant Park # 2
Field of inflatable flowers, Hermannplatz, Berlin 2014
Four rows of different „flowers“ stand up – and collapse in regulary intervals.
They were accompagnied by a youth orchestra
from the neighbourhood in Neukölln.
PLANTATION
Installation for public spaces, 2013
inflatables (PE, fabric), controler, blower, variable dimensions
PLANTATION (PLANTAGE) consists of a growing
number of inflatable plants, flowers or vegetables. It
grows series of plastic fruit – readymades as well as
custom made forms. It explores temporary sculptural
forms in their growing and declining process by presenting them in a basic choreography. The project‘s
background is industrial agriculture.
PLANTAGE #2 (leek & tulips)
Performance with brass band, 2013
PLANTAGE # 3 (corn, mushrooms, strawberries)
Installation, 2013
Dead man (acting) in a river
Installation, 2013
1 video projection (loop), 5-channel-audio, inflatable sculptures,
3 blower, textiles, paper, spots, ventilator, motion detection
In a jungle made of synthetic materials a naked
man is lying in a river. If someone approaches, giant
plants are inflated.
GREENHOUSE
4 blowers, lightcontroler, 9 plastic palms, plastic objects, airtubing, lights, motion detector, installed in a greenhouse, 220 x
400 x 300 cm, 2008-2010
In changing sequences plastic objects are erected by
inflation and deflate slowly before being inflated again.
ELÉG
ELÉG - a hungarian rhapsody
HD-video, color, stereo, 8‘17“, 2013
Fragment of a Hungarian Rhapsody # 1- 8
Serie of 8 prints, 45x25,3 cm, 2013
3 Fragments of a Hungarian Rhapsody # 1- 4
4 Vertical tryptich as prints, 120x80 cm, 2013
On observing people‘s bathing in different baths of
the hungarian capital, a speech from the off is heard:
Balázs Nagy Navarro talks on occasion of a hunger
strike agains media manipulation in public media in
december 2011.
AUDIOVISUAL CHOREOGRAPHIES
SPACE SPACE
Installation, 2012
The accessible space scene is based on scenarios
and set designs of outdated sci-fi movies. As a media
landscape it invites the visitors on a journey of discovery. In a space ship the voices of cinematographic
astronauts are combined in a role play and illuminate
eight different characters. Behind the backdoor a lunar
landscape compiles orbital voyagers from the 1920‘s
to the 80‘s, and a sculptures deals with the fascination
of infinite space.
SPACE SPACE - part I (Spaceship):
10-channel-audio, 4 blowers, inflatables, spotlights,
6 photographs mounted on aluminium (80 x 100 cm),
wood, paper, readymades, 1 painting (100 x 120 cm),
2 monitors, light controlers; computer with custom
software, duration: 5‘23‘‘
Endless stars, sculpture, 2012
3 2-way-mirrors, 240 LED
right side: lunar landscape,
Projection, mixed media, 2012
JUNGLE CAMP
site specific multi media installation in an industrial museum,
2012
12-channel-audio, video double projection, 6 blowers, inflatables, textile materials, lights, fog machine, light controlers;
custom software, duration: 13‘13‘‘
„Jungle Camp“ is a sculptural media landscape of
textiles and synthetics hosted in a building from the
former textile industry.
This „instant-jungle” evolves and devolves as a
technical biotope, performing the reappropriation of
an industrial space by nature. The artificial landscape
changes by changing light settings and the movements of inflatables. Sounds of growing, vivid flora
and fauna create a polyphonic soundscape.
THE SEESAW CHAMBER
– scenarios of the sea
Installation, 2011
1 projection with found footage, 1 videoloop on a monitor,
6-channel-audio, lightcontrolers, spots, computer, 1 ship‘s bell,
wich, motor, rope, 1 broken mast, fabric, blower, accordion,
wood;
measures 8 x 2,5 x 6 m, duration: 10‘30‘
A stage showcases a seascape with ships taken
from old movies like „Sea hawk“ (1940) that sail forand backwards.
Corresponding to the events on the screen and the
dramatic soundtrack there‘s temporary actions in the
space: a blower shakes a big canvas making waves,
a bell in rung before a storm warning is broadcasted,
a series of shipwrecks occurs and an accordeon
plays a long lasting tone.
THE EDGE OF THE CITY
THE EDGE OF THE CITY
video, installation, sculpture, 2004-9
Since 2008, more than half of the world‘s population
is living in cities. Together with Wonne Ickx, we were
looking for people at the edge of a city that is called
endless: Mexico D.F. Together with urbanist Wonne
Ickx we collected stories from the „edge“ of the megalopolis.
The edge of the city
experimental documentary, duration: 29‘, 2007
An inner city roadmovie.
Where are the Cacos now?
video projection, 2 slide projections, duration: 8‘18‘‘‚ 2008
Three years after the first visit to the peripherial areas, specific locations are revisited and juxtaposed in
an installation.
The edge of the city (videostills)
Where are the Cacos now? installation view with two slide projections, bench and hut
THE EDGE OF THE CITY
De Noche
video installation 2007
projection, lightcontrolers, building materials, 1 dog sculpture as
a lamp (porcelain), multichannel audio, wood;
duration: 6‘30‘ (Loop)
THE EDGE OF THE CITY
Horsedog
HD-videoprojection, 1‘55‘‘ as a loop / ventilator with attached
plastic bag, spot, lightcontroler, 2009
In Horsedog a white horse appears above a white
dog as if standing on top of it. Sometimes the dog is
on the lookout - but nothing happens. A black horse
appears behind the white horse and and dissapears
again before it reaches the borders of the image.
Horsedog (Videostills)
Horsedog ((installations view)
THE EDGE OF THE CITY
Endless Lights
3 Two-way-mirrors, lights, wood, steel, 180 x 200 x 200 cm
2007
„Endless Lights“ is a model for the nocturnal megalopolis with its ever expanding lights.
Endless lights II sculpture (125 x 220 x 125 cm) in a hut (300 x 220 x 300 cm), 2012
Endless Lights I, 2007
CAMPING ENSEMBLE
12 tents, 12 lamps, 12-channel-audio, lightcontrolers, 1 computer, custom software, dimensions variable, at least 500 x 600 x
100 cm, 2009
Camping Ensemble is a sculptural light- and soundinstallation that turns moving images like films into
a generative composition. A movie is downscaled to
12 pixels on a computer. Twelve tents contain each a
lamp that represents the changing lightness of each
part of the movie. Parallel to the light, a sine tone in
every tent is played in changing intensities. As the
sine tones are in a row of connected frequencies,
a harmonic, polyhonic composition evolves and the
installation becomes an abstract organ.
Camping Ensemble, 2009
Low Resolution Cinema (LRC)
nstallation for public spaces: display of films by 12 lights and 1
speaker, 2005-2007
LRC transforms the lightness of films into a matrix of
12 light bulbs. The film thus shines constantly dimmed into public space, the audio becomes a narration on its own. For every location a special film for the
performance was chosen.
movies, locations:
235000000 (USSR 1967),
Riga (city center)
Die Kunst geht auf die Strasse (D 1970),
Kunstverein Hannover
Auch die Engel essen Bohnen (I, F, S 1972),
Bohnenstrasse Bremen
City lights (USA 1931),
KAH Bonn
Low resolution monitor: in a closed-circuit to Die Videowächter
(by Nam June Paik, 1993),
Kunsthalle Bremen
Low Resolution Monitor
LRC
left side: Riga
right side: Hannover
Stefan Demming – CV, exhibitions
1973 born in Südlohn (Westphalia), lives and works in Berlin
1999
Exams in art and history, university Bremen
1999 – 2007
Studies of Fine Art at the studio for time based arts with Jean-François Guiton and David
Bade at the university of the arts, Bremen (D); Workshops with: Antoni Muntadas, Hoykaas/
Stansfield; guest: Stan Douglas, David Lamelas, UdK Berlin
2002-2003
cooperation at V2_institute for the unstable media, Rotterdam (NL)
2005
studies at the Ecole supérieure des beaux arts de Marseille (Jean Claude Rugirello, Eric Maillet (F));
2006
Diploma
2007
master‘s degree (Prof. Jean-François Guiton, HfK Bremen)
since 2007
works in video / installation and public interventions
Awards / scholarships
2014
2013
2013
2013 2011 2010 2007 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 RKP-funding for „Luurn bi de Buern“ (www.bi-de-buern.de)
Stipend KunstKommunikation, Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst
Visiting Artist, U. of A. Edmonton (Canada)
DA Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst
Residency „Apollo 13“ at the Künstlerdorf Schöppingen
Euregio-grant for „The smallest show on earth 2“
DAAD-grant for „The greatest show on earth 2“
Scholarship of the Cusanuswerk
projectgrant from CBK und RKS Rotterdam
Video art award, of the Filmbüro Bremen
OLB-media art award, EMAF Osnabrück
Bremen young artists’ prize for fine arts
German video-installation-prize
solo exhibitions
2014
2013
Instant Parc #2, public space Hermannplatz Berlin
Eleg, DC3 art projects, Edmonton, (CA)
Plantation, Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2005
2004
2003
The Space Space, Galerie im Turm, Berlin
The smallest show on earth 2 is a guest in Kassel, Berlin and 4 more places
The seesaw chamber - scenarios of the sea, Kunstverein Cuxhaven
The smallest show on earth 2 , Galerie Mitte, Bremen
Stattlandschaft, Kunstraum Tosterglope
The end of the world 2, Galerie 149, Bremerhaven
The Edge of the city, Casa del Lago, Mexico City (Mx)
Visitors of the strawheart (Duo with L. IJsendoorn), Galerie im Park, Bremen
The half-truth, Städtische Galerie im Buntentor, Bremen
Videokunstförderpreis, Neues Museum Weserburg Bremen
group shows (selection)
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Luurn bi de Buern, Kloster Bentlage, Rheine
Durch die Blume, Museum Bellerive, Zürich (CH)
Tourist Information Center, Gallerie Crystal Ball Berlin
LichtundVideokunstfestival, Shedhalle Tübingen
Same (Difference), Kunstkammer Schlieren (Ch)
Videorover, NURTUREart Brooklyn, Antenna Gallery, New Orleans (US)
Licht, Darmstädter Sezession
artmuse, Industriemuseum TextilWerk Bocholt
Follow the broken, Kreuzberg Pavillon Neukölln, Berlin
Der offene Garten, Städtische Galerie Nordhorn
EuropeanMediaArtFestival, Kunsthalle Dominikanerkirche, Osnabrück
Looking at the stars, Riga art-space, Riga (Lt)
Paula-Modersohn-Becker-Kunstpreis, Kunsthalle Worpswede
Contested Ground, Projectspace 176, London (Uk);
Unantastbar, Kulturkirche Stephani Bremen
Spring! Güterbahnhof Bremen
Neuenburger Medienkunstwoche, Zetel
Bitte schön!, Exhibition hall for contemporary art Münster;
Light garden, NOASS / public space, Riga (Lt)
European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück
Mulhouse 008, Mulhouse (F)
KunststudentInnen stellen aus, Kunst- und Ausstellunghalle der BRD, Bonn
Weltuntergang, Galerie Crystal Ball, Berlin
Sammlung 16, Städtische Galerie, Bremen
Stadt-Rand-Fluß, Lothringer 13, München
Die beste Methode einen Löwen zu erlegen, Kunsthalle Bremen
Herbstausstellung, Kunstverein Hannover
Baltic drift (GAK-Satellit): Waterpieces, Riga (Lt), Galerija Akademia,Vilnius (Li)
2004
2003
2001
2000
Nordwest-Kunst, Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven
Screen Spirit, Städtische Galerie Bremen
l’art video, l’art interactief, Villa des arts, Casablanca (Marocco)
Kunstverein Köln-Hürth, KV Wiesbaden, Neues Museum Weimar (show:)
German Video-Installation-Award, Skulpturenmuseum Glaskasten Marl
videography (single channel videos)
2015
2012
2010 2009 2008 2007
2006 2005
2002 2001 Feldaufnahme (HD), documentary/experimental*, 8‘14‘‘
Elég (HD), documentary/experimental, 8‘17‘‘
Just journey with them (HD), documentary, 30’
Les Paraparapluies (SD), cut-up, 5’02‘‘
The end of the world # 13 (Weltuntergang # 13, SD), experimental, 1‘33‘‘
The edge of the city (SD), documentary, 30’
mechanism (SD), mocumentary, 1’55’’
Déjàvu-jukebox_06, cut-up/experimental, 10’48’’
Conzerrrt in Streifen, experimental, 3’23’’
frozen moments, experimental, 5’53’’
Notaki # 4, experimental, 7‘20‘‘
* experimental / audiovisual composition
bibliography
Johannes Ismaiel-Wendt, Schaukelkammer - Szenarien der Meere, in: exhibition catalog
(with the same title), Revolver-publishing, Berlin 2011
Dirck Möllmann, On the road with video, in: Die kleinste Show der Welt 2, Bremen 2011
Rainer Bessling, Artefacts represent Artists: the ShowShow, in: ebd.
Ruth Estévez, The Edge of the City, in: Stattlandschaft, exhibition catalog (with the same
title), Berlin 2009
Mona Schieren, the event and the big bluff, in: Stemming Ste van de Mming Stefan Demming, catalogue, Bremen 2007
Ursula Frohne, Fragmented Sight, in: LRC, catalogue GAK-Satellite „Baltic Drift“, 2005
Elke Bippus, Intermediale Reflectiond and and the truth of the images, in: Die Halbe Wahrheit, catalogue, Bremen 2004
Frauke Ellßel, The half-truth, 50 times per second, in: ibid.
Sabine Maria Schmidt, The Bremen town musicians as guests in Casablanca, in: