Knapp, Tessa.

*1981 in Stuttgart, D
lives and works in Cologne, D
2001 Studium der Media Arts an Academy of Media Arts Cologne, D
2007 Diploma graduation with honors

 

Exhibitions [Selection]:

2011 24.Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Stuttgart, D
2010 Stipendium SHKH Schleswig, Holsteinisches Künstlerhaus
2010 New Talents Biennale Köln, D
2009 Videonale 12 Kunstmuseum Bonn, D
2008 Dwelling Place, Hong Gah Museum Taipei, Taiwan

99 Beautiful

Date: 2010
Length: 17:00 min.
Format:  16:9
Specification: Colour, Sound

 

The 99 names of Allah, which are also known to be his most beautiful names, are written down in the Koran in Arabic and are mostly translated as the various characteristics of Allah. In a secular country like Turkey, the meaning of the first names can be connected directly with people’s everyday language. Tessa Knapp directed her video in Istanbul and the protagonists, who come mostly from the Istanbul art scene, have names like Özlem (longing), Özgür (freedom), Evrim (evolution), Volkan (volcano), Deniz (sea) or Bahar (spring). Like every name, these have an influence on their bearer, too. Like allegories from traditional plays, Tessa Knapp stages a succession of these ‘speaking names’ on a pitch-black stage. “I am the longing” is both the personal introduction of the protagonist and the general embodiment of a feeling. Before the people leave the stage after repeating their name, they talk about themselves and comment on the characteristics that are associated with their names. In this way, the scenes turn into a succession of film portraits that are spliced together as a video performance. These video portraits equally include tradition and contemporaneity, as well as spirituality and secularity, as a starting point for an artistic project, without restricting the playful ambiguity in favor of politically correct statements.

GE

 

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