Directors Lounge presents:

The Destructive Power of Happiness
Video and Film Works by
RICCARDO IACONO
Thursday, 23 September 2010
21:00

Z-Bar
Bergstraße 2
10115 Berlin-Mitte

Riccardo Iacono, London-based artist and filmmaker, presents a selection of films and video from three different bodies of work: abstract videos, hand-painted films and performance tapes (produced between 1993-2007).

“I like the destructive power of fire”, a friend stated to Riccardo. It became the source for the title of the show in Berlin. Riccardo’s fire might be his anarchistic disposition to destroy static concepts. However, he does not avoid the pains, the exhaustive efforts it takes to make art from “happiness”.

In his process of working with film, the painted film became the silent musical score for the making, the re-photographing of the film. By means of an optical printer, he developed a way to have light reflected from the 3-dimensional surface of the paint, while at the same time still illuminating it from the backside. Although such animation techniques usually are tedious work, Riccardo already tried to achieve some immediacy while printing film to film. This urge for directness, and a need for improvisation and contact with people have possibly let to his more recent body of work: “Shooqui”. The whole series of videos, which involves throwing peas or clothes, is the opposite of camera-less film. The artist holds the camera, aiming and tracking the prospective trajectory of the object being thrown by his other hand. The body connection between holding and throwing leads to a compulsive and circular movement of the camera when throwing larger objects. “It is almost like the recoil action of a gun upon firing.”
(Curated by Klaus W. Eisenlohr)

Programme
From Memory 1994-2003 16mm, colour silent 15.00
Open 1994/2003 16mm optical sound 2.30
Fuzzy Lover 2003 16mm B/W silent 2.10
Pea Video 2006 DV colour Stereo 2.00
More Light 2004 DV colour Stereo 4.55
Recess 2007 DV colour stereo 1:00
P-Sample 1 2006 DV colour Stereo 2:45
Play 2001 DV colour stereo 3:50
The Electric Garden 2004 DV colour Stereo 5.55
Radiator 1994 DV colour stereo 4:15
Roadside Mix 2006 DV Colour stereo 1:31
Cold Tape 2000 DV colour stereo 1.11
Kinky 2006 DV Colour stereo 1:45
Walk 2001 DV Colour stereo 3:30
A Lecture In Throwing A Pea 2006 DV colour Stereo 1.00
Universe Energies Sustain Us 2002 DV colour Stereo 14.00
Elephant 2007 DV colour Stereo 7:30

Artist-Links:
http://www.riccardoiacono.co.uk
http://www.axisweb.org/openfrequency/riccardoiacono

Detailed program info:
http://www.richfilm.de/filmUpload/1-framesRiccIacono.html
http://www.riccardoiacono.co.uk/exhibitions/DL_berlin230910.html

http://www.z-bar.de

Urban Research Selection 2010
Screening at
PAm Festival in Senigallia, Italy
08 July 2010, at 20:00

GALLERIA GHERARDI 30
Via Gherardi 30 – Senigallia

urban research selection | urban interference and the city’s symbols

The success of modern cities as social entities is connected with the liability of relative security and trust in the social contract between citizens. As Jan Philippe Reemtsma states: “If I happen to drop into a violent situation, I will neither be made responsible for not being armed, nor for having failed to defend myself.” (memory-quoted). Although this unwritten contract is part of the production of modernity, urban identity, myths and symbols often tell about violent situations. Therefore, films talking about urban symbols often deal with the uncanny, with the precarious balance between the violence of law enforcement and violent social decay.

On the other hand, with urban interventions, artists try to play a more active role in society . Some artists see themselves as “political activist” and try to change politics and society; others just try to reach a different, more divers audience; or, they like to reach out for a seemingly impossible dream. All of them, however, share visions and ideas about urban life. And those inspirations may be infectious!
Curated by Klaus W. Eisenlohr

Program:

Elsewhereness: Yokohama 2008 -*- Anders Weberg SW
Zwischenzeit 2008 -*- Mischa Leinkauf + Mathias Wermke DE
Seven After Eleven 2008 -*- Christina McPhee US
Buda -*- Beatriz + Carlos Matiella MX
Sintia -*- Jose Matiella+Ivan Meza MX
Amusement Park 2001 -*- Pilvi Takala FI
Jalkeilla Taas (Up And About Again) 2009 -*- Maarit Suomi-Väänänen FI
Drive 2003 -*- Elena Näsänen FI
Drive! 2008 -*- Elham Rokni IL
Easy Rider2006 -*- Pilvi Takala FI
Simulacro 2005 -*- Hector Falcon MX
Play Ground 2009 -*- Rinat Edelstein IL
Night Meter 2000 -*- Yaron Lapid UK
Interception 2007-2009 -*- Roch Forowicz PL
Stormwater / Estanque de tormentas 2009 -*- Tom Skipp ES

Festival Program: http://www.pamfestival.com/programma/
Direct Link:
http://www.pamfestival.com/videoproiezione-di-klaus-w-eisenlohr/

Urban Research 2010: http://www.richfilm.de/DL2010/framesUrbanResearch.html