Over the two final weeks of the Summer Academy, a group of fifteen people is exploring the art of filmmaking. In a course run by Melissa Dullius and Gustavo Jahn, aka DISTRUKTUR, they will learn about both technical and conceptual ways of film creation, shooting scenes with a 16mm camera. The final outcome of this course will be presented in a form of a collective film, showing a rather abstract and visceral vision the 15 authors poured into one large bowl.

 

 

When I came into their classroom at the beginning of the course, everybody was grasping their practice cameras and light meters, measuring every move and change and setting up the lenses continuously. One of them is always in charge of taking notes. Highly concentrated, even serious, they all got down to the business of learning the fundamentals as Melissa and Gustavo guide them did actively and patiently with the help of Viktoria, their co-teacher.

 

After one week, I joined DISTRUKTUR again, hoping to walk around while they shoot their film, but got a much better experience - a screening of the previously shot and processed material and a lesson in film rolling! In this relatively short time, I was seriously amazed by the 3-minute pieces the students have done, some of which could be cut out already, standing as videos in their own right. I must mention that this crew is responsible for every step in the making of their joint film, from the idea and screenwriting, over acting and costume design, to post-production.

 

As Melissa turned a wheel (there are hundreds of them and I don’t know their proper names), I learned that 10 meters of film equals roughly 1 minute of screening. She continued to explain how they are connecting films shot with two different cameras, and that this was their editing process. There is no professional editing table at the Fortress, so everything has to be done by hand, but this is also a planning challenge for the crew. “We need to mentally edit first,” and they have to, so they would make fewer cuts after. I ask do they know what the film will be like and get the answer that they “don’t know how long the film will be in the end by [they] do plan the shooting days. It’s a very complex thing, filmmaking,” she concluded, as I moved to the miniature class cinema.

 

After the screening, I joined a group of students in the dark room. Gustavo was explaining how to roll a film into a spiral, a process that must be done in the dark. It seemed touchy, but as he said - the speed depends on the person doing it. “At first, Melissa was rolling everything, I didn’t like this at all,” he told us, explaining how he would spend an hour helping someone learn the way in the dark, while some people who have a better sense of touch or are perhaps craftier with their hands get it immediately.

 

Leaving the filmmakers to their art, I went to my own task of wording the experience. Honestly, I don’t think a person can know everything about film by just popping into a class now and then, but if there are people who knew nothing about it in the beginning - they are now doing a very good job!

 

Cannot wait to see their film on Friday. What a last-day treat it will be!

An honest binge-watcher, aka Ana

 

Strolling through the Fortress corridors, one might hear how the installation classroom looks a bit chaotic. Although this claim might appear true at the first sight, the seeming chaos is actually a picture of perpetual creation. Taught by Michael Beutler, the installation class has turned into a symbiotic organism in the first two weeks of existence through which the students are introduced to the idea that through the material, through the process and through making things they can connect to each other. Even though the collaborative approach is welcome and encouraged, it’s not obligatory. Still, everybody is responding to it and sharing visions, while still preserving their own ideas and approaches. It’s about “making your world a little bigger than it was,” said Michael Beutler in a short talk earlier today.

 

 

Known for artistic creations that reexamine the space, Beutler admits that his previous teaching experiences were smaller and different. This is the first time he is not conducting his idea via community, but enforcing other spirits to react. One of his major observations is that the level of dedication and concentration is exceptionally high, as he happily observes the ongoing work, looking forward to taking home the good experience.

 

Shorter workshops, not long like this. Everybody is very dedicated and focused, he hasn’t seen this level of concentration in other workshops.

 

“You not only have cozy areas, you mostly have places to work in different kind of ways, and to think in different kinds of ways, to work with your hands in different kind of ways and to eat, to feed yourself and others,” he told me, explaining the studio space.

 

After the first week of solo experiments and presentations, the group has changed the entire room by introducing new furniture (I see a new kitchen counter), and storage-like units. “This storage is for all the objects that are coming off the table, like products, experiments, and try-outs. There, they find another presence in this structure somehow, they’re like the collective brain of the workshop,” Beutler explained. The display enables everybody to learn about others’ work and to find parallels and connect. “It’s important that everybody tries to leave their zone a little bit and to pop out into other people’s zones,” he continues, emphasizing the importance of openness in this generally “process-based workshop.”

 

Guiding a group of 23 people with the help of his co-teachers Ida and Martin, Michael doesn’t see himself as a leader, but rather an organizer. Looking towards the end of a three-week experience, he says that he hopes “that everybody leaves with a really high density of new experiences and maybe also revelations.” He hopes that his students will continue to ask different questions, about their work as well, and learn from the interactions experienced during this class, feeling that they have played a role within this group of creative people.

 

 

***

Today is the start of my last week at the Summer Academy. The day was good, the weather really nice and I enjoyed the classes and the evening talks. Tomorrow I might actually get a glimpse of Distruktur's filmmakers shooting outside. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Cheerio!

 

Ana

 

Since the beginning of my six-week adventure in Salzburg, I have heard many teachers at the Academy mention that energy changes throughout the course. “The energy does wear off,” said Grace at some point and these words echo in my head, this week especially.

 

 

It’s the week five of my following of the Academy activities, getting to know people and engaging in countless conversations. Although I enjoy learning about artists, different practices, and techniques, looking at their work grow or listening to lectures, my energy has started to wear off. Simply, the excitement and the interest are there, but the strength betrays me. As I look forward to the final week, new talks and exhibitions, I am even more happy that today is Friday and I will have a bit of off time.

 

Readers of my blog here might have noticed that I find Untersberg completely mesmerizing. The charming quarry at its side is where I’ve spent a better part of my day today since the stone sculpture class was celebrating their Open Day with an exhibition and a welcome choice of Mediterranean simple finger foods. Before that, I popped over to the Open Day of the jewelry class at the Künstlerhaus. Both of the classes prepared serious presentations of their work and I was stunned. Marc Monzo and his jewelers cleaned out the small workshop and made a lovely presentation of various pieces they produced. Students led by Andreas Lolis transformed a room below their dormitory into a gallery and I was sincerely amazed by the quality and amount of work they have managed to create during their month.

 

The gathering at the quarry soon turned into a friendly mixer, a place to hang out, chat, eat and drink, and connect over improvised bbq or spontaneous dance moves. As I danced my way out of there (dancing out is a thing now), I was lucky enough to beat the storm. Because tomorrow, I will move out of this one and visit another city, just to freshen up my energy levels.

 

Until we see/read each other again, enjoy a few photos from today’s exhibitions!

 

Have a great weekend!

Ana

***

Every Summer Academy is surrounded with a lot of collateral events and one of the favorites is the exhibition at Periscope. This project is executed as an off-site exhibition, dedicated to the less-visible, but very important participants at the Academy - the co-teachers.

 

 

The majority of the co-teachers are exhibiting at this year’s Periscope exhibition, named In Transition. The first part of the exhibition was opened on July 27, while the second part is opening tonight, on August 17. Even though the title of the show is meant to signify a changeover of the works and exhibitors, I cannot help but reflect upon the social transitions that affected Europe in the past couple of years. Still, the transition of the works at Periscope is symbolic, following the changes in the Summer Academy courses.

 

As transition often implies diversification, the selection of works and themes is naturally diverse. This is hardly surprising, since all of the exhibiting artists come from different practices and media, while the spectators are challenged to discover possible intersections in their discourses.

 

With this exhibition, Periscope transforms into a place for encounters, interconnecting artists and spectators. “This show is imagined as a special platform where co-teachers get their own space to exhibit,” said Simone about In Transition. And observing the official program of the Academy, I can see why this is a welcome addition. With accomplished teachers in focus, the cultural program expands into a series of artists’ talks and Global Academy lectures, while co-teachers are not as visible. Collaboration with Periscope, a place dedicated to young and emerging artists, fills this gap in the best possible way - with an inspiring exhibition. Furthermore, opening events are traditionally clad in a welcoming and casual atmosphere, freed of titles and roles, just connecting people on a very human level, transitioning from acquaintances into friends.

 

The first edition of In Transition featured  Sonja Bendel with 3plus, Ines Hochgerner, Nina Theresa Kerschbaumer, Susi Krautgartner, Sophia Mairer and Michael Wegerer. Tonight, we will see the works by Martin Belou, Martyna Borowiecka, Jakob Buchner, Andrea Durianová, Michael Franz, Anna Hofbauer, Andrea Kopranovic, Ida Lennartsson und Petra Polli.

 

I cannot wait to mingle. See you tonight!

 

Ana

 

After checking in with a few classes in the morning and collecting my thoughts, I joined, or rather - was allowed to join, the writing class of Kimberly Bradley and her co-teacher Andrea Kopranovic in a very artsy tour of the town. Both educational and amusing, the walk was a live exercise during which each of the participants tried to find new ways of seeing art.

 

After descending the Fortress, we stopped by the Kunstverein where I quite enjoyed the Geoffrey Farmer & Gareth Moore's long-titled installation. We moved through the touristy streets, going on to Art Salzburg - a very small, high-end art fair. Checking out a display of 20th-century art, ranging from Schiele to Beuys, I enjoyed a garden sculpture by Otto Boll the most, an elegant line in space, and not on offer. Further, our group was welcomed by the gallerist at the Galerie Trapp, where we looked at exhibitions by two contemporary and very different artists, Hubert Schmalix and Alfredo Barsuglia.

Our last stop was the famous Thaddaeus Ropac gallery, conveniently set right next to the Mirabell garden. Without going too much into what we’ve seen inside of the space, I have to admit that I was far more fascinated with the opulence of the villa and the business itself. Finally, a welcome break came, while a few of us decided to climb up to the Museum der Moderne for the talk of Paulina Olowska.

There are no free rides with the writers, so me joining the walks depended on me taking on responsibilities instead of just reaping the benefits of a curated walk. And - I ended up with homework! Every one of the students is required to write a description of any artwork we’ve seen today, BUT without reading any meaning into it. Hearing that about 200 words are required, I agreed without thinking, but when I learned about the nature of the task - it was too late! Writing about visual aspects only is hard and I’m really nervous about it. I hope I get a passing grade!

***

I should be joining Distruktur in another filming exercise tomorrow and in the evening - a second Periscope exhibition is coming up!

Until then, I’ll be doin’ homework.

Ana