Kirjahaku

Every month, the art association HMKV presents the latest videos by international artists in its series “HMKV Video of the Month” which has been ongoing since March 2014. The idea for the series came from the desire to show the newest artistic productions in rapid succession, changing works at a faster pace than in the exhibitions of the HMKV. For the first time, this publication unites all 78 works that have been exhibited since 2014. The videos address a variety of different topics and stories, ranging from labour conditions, structural changes, speculative technologies, or posthuman machines to technology (and its history) as well as artificial intelligence. A wide array of works is devoted to the old ‘new’ right-wingers and the alt-right. The book not only shows stills of all videos, but each work is also accompanied by an introductory text to provide a comprehensive overview. Text in English and German.

The film works of Silke Schönfeld (*1988) oscillate between installation, staged settings, and documentary. She engages with social media and the omnipresent flood of images: in this context, the artist highlights ambiguities, questions the authenticity of moving images, and thus situates the viewers in a vague space between staged and documented film. Schönfeld is especially interested in places and situations so ordinary that we don’t (or no longer) notice them – places we pass by without a second thought. These initially inconspicuous locations and situations serve as launch pads for the artist to reflect on larger, socially relevant topics. Schönfeld skillfully interweaves personal stories with historical and societal contexts, subtly directing attention to social phenomena, rituals, ideologies, and processes. The publication is being issued on occasion of the eponymous solo exhibition at the HMKV Dortmund and showcases five large-scale video installations. Numerous photo spreads and introductory texts are accompanied by a detailed interview with the artist.