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Untitled [\Requiem]

experimental short

9 min

2020

In Untitled [\Requiem] a visual and a musical composition are developed parallel, based on a common abstract form. Video and music develop independently and according to their medium, but at the same time they go through the same formal process.

 

A man dressed in a black suit carrying an umbrella wanders through a mountainscape which is partly covered with snow. The barren landscape doesn’t seem stable and keeps changing constantly. Over time holes and gapes emerge and uncover the pixels of which the digital image is made of. Symbols like the moon, crystals or water create a dream-like feel and thus create a closeness to surrealism. Similar to these art forms, no coherent story can be made tangible behind these symbols. The video follows a formal, visual composition, with no narrative content.

The music spreads out a web of trumpet-like sounds which evokes the feeling of movement. At the same time manipulated vocal and orchestral passages are woven into this fabric. The contrasting sound surface becomes increasingly blurred and forms new patterns.

 

 

The collage-like look of the video is created by masking the video image. Through this process not only holes and gapes emerge but also the pixels which uncover the nature of the digital image. The two-dimensional image space is broken up and a z-axis is introduced as a third dimension. This is revealed by the perforated individual video tracks which are layered behind each other in space.

The auditory level interweaves different acoustic material in a similar way.

The main part is taken from Renaissance music and cantatas by J.S. Bach. Sampling techniques from hip-hop and typesetting techniques from classical music are used to form a new musical material.

visual composition:

Magdalena Salner

 

musical composition:

MandelBaum (aka Manuel Baumer)

 

Screenings and exhibitions:

Untitled [/Requiem] has been screened at the opening night of 'Diametrale - Filmfestival für Experimentelles und Komisches' in Innsbruck in July 2020.

Untitled [\Requiem] has been screened at 'OVER THE REAL- Festival Internazionale di Videoarte' in Lucca, ITALY in October 2021.

Untitled [\Requiem] has been part of the exhibition 'This_Place_ment_' showen at 'Das LOT' in Vienna in November 2021.

Untitled [\Requiem] has been be screened at TRANÅS AT THE FRINGE - International Arts Filmfestival in Tranås, SWEDEN in Juli 2022.

Untitled [\Requiem] has been be broadcast on OktoTV in the programm of DeleteTV on the 3rd of July 2023.

Review by Francesco Cazzin

Untitled [Requiem]_©Magdalena_Salner
video still Untitled [\Requiem]
Untitled [Requiem]_©Magdalena_Salner
video still Untitled [\Requiem]
Untitled [Requiem]__©Magdalena_Salner
video still Untitled [\Requiem]
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