Page 1
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
1
ELSDIETVORSTFILMS-INSTALLATIONS-DRAWINGS-SCULPTURE.Recentdocumentation(selection).
Content:‘ONEWASKILLEDFORBEAUTY,THEOTHERONEWASSHOT,THETWOOTHERSDIEDNATURALLY’(pgs2-4)Soundpiece:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK5YArCSEfA‘THERABBITANDTHETEASEL”(pgs5-9)trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04unKiUjtL4 http://therabbitandtheteasel.com ‘THEBLACKLAMB’(pgs11-13)www.theblacklamb.org‘AWALKWITHACM’(pgs13-14)https://vimeo.com/61335044Aslongastheblackbirdsings,13’35https://vimeo.com/61286604‘THERETURNOFTHESWALLOWS’(pgs15-17)‘DRAWINGS’(pgs18-21)‘SCULPTURES/SKULL’(pgs22-26)
Page 2
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
2
“ONEWASKILLEDFORBEAUTY,THEOTHERONEWASSHOT,THETWOOTHERSDIEDNATURALLY”SOLO-EXPOSITIONINARGOS,CENTREFORARTANDMEDIA,BRUSSELS.MAY3RD-JUNE29TH2014CURATEDBYROLFQUAGHEBUER,DIRECTOROFARGOS.PRODUCEDBY:ARGOS,KAAITHEATRE,KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS,CERA,IMAGINE(EUROPE)http://theblacklamb.org
“Thevideos,drawings,andwritingsofElsDietvorstexploreanti-utopianthemessuchassocialconflictandsurvivalinthemargins.Afewyearsago,thisself-proclaimed‘urbanartist’movedtotheIrishvillageofDuncormick,whereshehassincelivedandworkedtotherhythmoftheelementsandtheseasons.In2014,attheKunstenfestivaldesarts,Dietvorstpresentsaseriesofworksonmigrationandalteredlivingconditions.WithArt-Coeur-Merci,theartistbidsfarewelltothecityinwhichshelivedandworkedforyears.InthefilmTheRabbitandtheTeasel,integrallyshotintheIrishcountryside,fictionandautobiographicalelementsareinterwovenintoalyricaltalethatdragstheviewerintoaworldofbeauty,death,anddecay.FollowingitspremiereattheKaaitheater,thefilmcanbeseenatArgos,inparallelwithanexhibitionofnewwork.Theperformance,film,andexhibitiontogetherformapathwaybetweencityandcountryside,betweencentreandperiphery.”(seepublicationKunstenfestivaldesarts)
Page 3
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
3
Page 4
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
4
Page 5
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
5
THERABBITANDTHETEASELFILM,53”,DVD-HD.BELGIANPREMIEREINKUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS,BRUSSELS.MAY15TH2014INTERNATIONALPREMIERE,VISIONSDUREEL,NYON,SWITSERLAND,APRIL17TH2015Selectedinfestivals:2016 ‘5thEcofalanteEnvironmentalFilmFestival,SaoPaulo,Brasil.2015 FestivalPlanèteHonnête,France.
FestivalFilmeratoutprix,(PanorameBelge),Belgium.Festivaldeipopoli,Italy.KilmoreQuaydocumentaryfestival,Ireland.WexfordArtcenter,Ireland.Blackstairsruralfilmfestival,Ireland.
PRESS:“ThefilmmatchesbeautifullcinematographywithadarknarrativeaboutatimeinTJ.’syounglifewhenhegrewuponafarminIreland.”(DamienOReilly-Countrywide-18/04/2015)
“InatimelesssettingontheIrishcountryside,acontemporaryparableunfolds,asenchantingasitisconfronting.Life,deathandmiraclesofanIrishfarmerfamily.Arealautobiographytransformsintofictionandcomesbacktoanevendeepernotionofreality.Somemaypossiblyargueabouttheexcessoffiction,butartificehasrarelybeenmorenaturalandappropriate.Dealingwithmemory,thefilmacknowledgesthatourperceptionoftheworldmixesrealfactswithconstructedemotionalimpressions.Amasterfulnarrative,anextremelyaccurateworkonthetextsandthepowerfulaestheticsoftimelessrurallandscape,perfectlycombinewiththeslowandrelentlesspaceofremembranceandthemelancholyofalostinnocence.“(PaoloMoretti,CatalogueVisionsduReel,Nyon,April2015.)
“…amasterpiece”,DirkBraeckmaninnationalBelgiannewspaperDeMorgen(May2014).“…acontemporaryparabel!”SamSteverlinckinArtmagazineKunsthart.(May2014)“Inaworldwherepettyopinions,hysteria,commotionandemotionhavebecomethenormandneo-liberalhumanityisrapidlylosingsightofthepathtohappiness,TheRabbitAndTheTeaselisabreathoffreshair.Fictionandautobiographicalelementsmingleinalyricaltalethatdragstheviewerintoauniverseofbeauty,death,anddecay.AuthoranddirectorElsDietvorstzoomsinontherawrealityofarainyyearthatdrivesthefarmertodespair.InatimelesssettingontheIrishcountryside,acontemporaryparableunfolds,asenchantingasitisconfronting.”(KathleenWeyts,ED2,May2014)
Credits:WrittenanddirectedbyElsDietvorst.DOP:HansBruchJr.-SoundbyGillesLaurent-EditedbySimonArazi.Voice-overLiamHeffernan.Production:TondoFilms(B),Co-production:Kunstenfestivaldesarts,Kaaitheatre,Argos,Brussels.Withsupportfrom:FLANDERSAUDIOVISUALFUND
http://therabbitandtheteasel.com
Page 6
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
6
IMAGESOFTHERABBITANDTHETEASEL.
Page 7
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
7
Page 8
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
8
Page 9
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
9
Page 10
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
10
THEBLACKLAMB.(WEXFORD,IRELAND2012-2014)
www.theblacklamb.org
PREMIEREDINBURNINGICE#5KAAITHEATRE,BRUSSELS,MAY2012SECONDUPDATEINBURNINGICE#6KAAITHEATRE,BRUSSELS,MARCH2013LASTUPDATEINEXPO“Onewaskilled…”,ARGOS,BRUSSELS,MAY2014“Thedocumentary-makerandvisualartistElsDietvorstrecentlymovedfromBrusselstoIreland.FromasheepfarminDuncormicksheisworkingonafilmprojectandyoucankeepupwithhowit'sgoingonherwebdoc.Theprojectfurtherexplorestheoftenanti-utopianthemesofherearlyfilmwork:social-civilconflictandtheeverydayfightforsurvival.Onceagain,shestartsfromafascinationwithoutsiders–peoplewhomakearadicalchangeintheirlifeandendupsomewhereonthemarginsofsociety.ForTheBlackLambDietvorstshadowsseveralofherneighboursintheirdailyworkandlives(andsurvival).ShesketchesapictureofthecurrenthumanconditioninIreland,butalsoofpeopleandnatureinthe21stcentury.TheBlackLambunfoldedoverathree-yearperiodwithseasonalupdates.”
CreditsWritten,filmedanddirectedbyElsDietvorst.EditedbySimonArazi.SounddesignbyGillesLaurent.WebDesignbyFrederiqueLagast/VoiceoverbyLiamHeffernan.ContentEditingbySorchaHylandProducedbyArielleSleutelWithsupportfrom:FLANDERSAUDIOVISUALFUNDCo-production:Kunstenfestivaldesarts,Kaaitheatre,Argos,Brussels.CERA,Imagine(Europe).
Page 11
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
11
SCREENSHOTSTHEBLACKLAMB.
Page 12
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
12
Page 13
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
13
ACM/THEWHOLESTORY.(BRUSSELS,BELGIUM2009-2014)
‘AWALKWITHACM’:PREMIEREDINKUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS,BRUSSELSMAY2009.
‘ASLONGASTHEBLACKBIRDSINGS’,KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS,ARGOS,BRUSSELS,VIENNA.MAY2009
ART-COEUR–MERCI’,SOLO-EXPOSITIONINMUSEUMGUISLAIN,GHENT,NOVEMBER2011
‘ART-COEUR–MERCI’,PERFORMANCE&VIDEO,KAAITHEATRE,KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS,BRUSSELS,MAY2014
‘ART-COEUR–MERCI’,PERFORMANCE&VIDEO,THEATREFRASCATI,AMSTERDAM,JANUARY2014
‘I’MGOINGTOMYCHICKENS,MONOLOGUEFORDIRKROOFTHOOFT,PLANNEDINKAAITHEATREANDDUBLINTHEATREFESTIVAL,2018
ACMisaragpicker,apoet,awalker,philosopher,architect,sculptor,scavenger.Heconsumedwhateverwethrowaway.ACMstandsforArt-Coeur-Merci.Art-Heart-Thankyou.ACMwasborninCameroonandendedupinBelgiumforseveralreasons.ThemomentImethim,helived,inanabandonedindustrialhousingstatenearthecanalBrussel-Charleroi,ontheedgeofthecity.ThemomentIwantedtomakeafilmabouthim,hedisappeared.Hisshedwasburneddownandihadrecuperatedworks,drawingsandbelongings.Thefilm‘Aslongastheblackbirdsings’(1)isafilmbasedofwhatIcouldexperienceofACM’slife,mixedwithexperiencesandstoriesoutofWalden(HenryDavidThoreau).Ifollowedhimthroughallthisdifferentperiodsofhislifeandportrettedhimin3differentfilms.NeverdidIexperienceart,livingandsurvivingsocloselyentwined.Thissharedexperienceisturnedintothemonologue‘I’MGOINGTOSEETOMYCHICKENS’.ThemonologuewillbeperformedinMay2018bythefamousBelgianactorDirkRoofthooft.
CreditsCamera,written&directedbyElsDietvorstCamera&editingbySimonAraziProducedbyFirefly,supportedbyKaaitheatre,KunstenfestivaldesartsBrussels,Arthouse,Vienna.
Page 14
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
14
SCREENSHOTSAWALKWITHACM.
Page 15
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
15
THERETURNOFTHESWALLOWS’.Migration,Identityandmetamorphoses.(BRUSSELS,BELGIUM,2000-2008)
Theproject‘Thereturnoftheswallows’(1999-2005)wasconsideredasaprocessbuiltonanevolutionfromindividualtocollectivecreation.Therefore,theprojectfocusedoncommunicationbetweenindividuals,asa’grouptobecome’;communicationina‘sociallydeprived’neighbourhood(Anneessens,Brussel),betweenindividualsasmembersofcollectivebuiltondiversity(the‘Swallows’).Eachindividuallife-storybecamealeverformultimediacreation.Thesocialrelationsarethenourishingsource,thefoundationofcreativityinthisprojectwhiletheartisticisapoeticandvitalforcethatfeedsintoadiversityofdynamics,asacatalystthaturgesindividualsfromdiverseculturesandorigintobecreative.Semi-documentaryprocesseshadtostimulatecommunicationandimaginarypoweroftheparticipants.ThebreedinggroundforthisprojectistheAnneessensquarterinBrussels.Thetitleoftheproject‘Thereturnoftheswallows’hasasymbolicvalueandreferstothemanymigrationflowsandthewealthofpersonalhistoriesthatcamethroughthisneighbourhoodformanydecades.TilltodayAnneessensmustcontendwith‘metropolitan’problems:unemployment,theneedforhigherqualityhousingandpublicserviceprovisionandasignificantpresenceofyoungmigrantsfrustratedbyidlenessandtemptedbypettycrime.Viapersonalauditionsandcollectiverehearsalsagroupoftwenty-twopeople(‘Swallows’)startedtoworkwithmeforfiveyears.Theirrootsliewithinakaleidoscopeofcountries:MoroccoorItaly,Reunion,Columbia,Togo,Congo,Egypt,Russia,IranandBelgium;mostofthemrecentlylandedinBrussels.Thesetwenty-twoprotagonistsaretheco-creatorsofthisproject.Theyallleadtheirownlife,withtheirstories,dreamsanddesires.Fragmentsfromthesestoriesandemotionsserveasthebasisfortheworkweproduced.Themesaremigration,identityandmetamorphosis,collectiveaswellasindividual.Afterfiveyearsofcollectiveworkandpersonalsharingthe‘Swallows’hadbecomeaclosely-knitcollectiveandthesocio-artisticprocesseswerematerialisedintovideo-movies,performances,documentariesandpublishedmagazines.‘Weenjoybeingthe‘Swallows’,becauseitkeepsustogether,itmakesexpressourdesires,itenablesustodream.Becauseitshowsusthereexiststogethernessacrossthediversityofpeopleandgoesagainsthumanprejudices:itshowsaHumanasaHuman,andnotasanopinionorajudgment,infullrespectofdiversity.’(RachidAjerrar-swallowsparticipant)
Page 16
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
16
IMAGESFROM‘CHURCHTAPES’
Page 17
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
17
IMAGESFROM‘MAGAZINENR.2‘THERETURNOFTHESWALLOWS.
Page 18
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
18
DRAWINGS.(2000-2014)DRAWINGSINCOLLECTIONOFTHECERA-FOUNDATIONANDPRIVATECOLLECTIONS.DRAWINGSINBOOK‘ED’,‘ED2’DRAWINGSSHOWNINDEMORGEN,NATIONALNEWSPAPER
Drawingisanimportantpartofmyartpractice,inmydrawingsIcancreateawholesurreelworld.Mostlytheyarethebaseforallmyvisualwork.Idrawsince2000withpenandink.Theink,red-bloodcolor,Imakemyself.Theformatandpaperarenearlyalwaysthesame.Mydrawingsareinprivatecollectionsandareshownindifferentexpositions.IwasalsoaskedtomakebookcoversandwasinvitedbyDeMorgen(between2003-2006)tomakedrawingsforthisNationalnewspaper.DRAWINGSSHOWNINMUSEUMM,DRAWINGSFROMTHECERACOLLECTION,LOUVAIN,BELGIUM.JUNE2014.
Page 19
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
19
NEWDRAWINGS2014,SHOWNINEXHIBITION‘ONEWASSHOT…’,ARGOS.MAY2104.
Page 20
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
20
Page 21
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
21
Page 22
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
22
SCULPTURE-INSTALLATIONSKULL(2003-2015)Sculptureisbesidedrawing,writingandvideoanimportantmediuminmyartpractice.IstartedtheSkull-seriesoutofdisbelieveandangerontheblackpagesofhumanhistory.TheSkull-sculpturesbecameametaphorforuselessviolenceand
asymbolforhumanrespect,gatheringandtranscendance.Thefirstsculpture(SKULL1-1999)wasahugeskull,madeofwoodandloam,buildinmystudioinBrasschaat(Antwerp)whichwasonthattimeinthemiddleofamilitarybase.
ThenextSkull(SKULL2-2008)wasmadeontheroofoftheMUHKA,MuseumofmodernartinAntwerpandwasareactionontheWaronterror.ThethirdSkull(SKULL3-2014)wasmadeduringthetendaysoftheMoscowBiennalofcontemporaryartandwasametaphorforimmigration,respectandhumantranscendence.TheformofeveryskullisbasedontheSkullofaNeanderthaler.TheNeanderthalerisoftenpicturedinhistoryasabrutebutwaspeacefullandsharedpeacefullrituals.TheyvanishedwhenmodernhumansarrivedinEurope.TheteethinalloftheSkull-seriesarehumanbeingsreferingto‘us’thepeople.MostlyIusenaturalmaterialsaswood,loamandclaytogivethesculpturesafragileskin.TheSkullsculpturesalsoserveasarefuge,youcanhide,shelter,meetinit.IseetheSkullseriesasastrongsymbolthatlinksusandthatbelongstousall,humans.Iseeitalsoasafragileandatthesametimestrongmetaphoragainstviolence.
“In2009,ontheroofofMuHKAinAntwerp,sheexhibitedthegiganticworkSkull,afigureinacage,fashionedfrommudandwood.ThispowerfullyvisualworkisDietvorst’swayofreactingtothenumerousimagesofwarthatthemediafloodsuswith.ThisspecificworkalludestoGuantanamo;tosolitaryconfinementincages.Dietvorstmadealife-sizedmodelofoneofthem,inhabitedbyagiganticskull.Ontheroofofthemuseum,theheadappearstobeimprisonedinadovecote,whichcanbeviewedfromanearbybench.Afterawhile,twopigeonsbuilttheirnestinthecageandhatchedouttheireggsthere–thusapieceaboutmurderfacilitatesthecreationofnewlifeatatotallydifferentlevel…”(EvaWittocx,ED2)
Page 23
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
23
SKULL3:MOSCOWBIENNALOFCONTEMPORARYART.2015.
Page 24
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
24
Page 25
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
25
SKULL2:MUSEUMOFCONTEMPORARYARTINANTWERP,2008.
Page 26
ELSDIETVORST/PORTFOLIO.September3,2016
26
SKULL1:STUDIOMILITARYBASE,ANTWERP.2004.