“RED STARS” is an investigation of Alexander Bogdanov’s sci-fi novel “Red Star” (1908), which depicts a utopian society on Mars, and the contemporary understanding of this book in the context of renewed efforts to colonize Mars. Alongside the screenings of this film, the artist’s earlier works will also be introduced.
We present five video works by Axel Stockburger (Vienna):
“Красная звезда / RED STARS” (01:08:47 min.), a full-length feature created during a residency in Moscow (“Agency of Singular Investigations”), as well as “Mi Gesto Final” (2015), “White Transformer”, (2011), “Cos I am” (2010), “Turismo” (2001).
Through works inspired by fan culture he elaborates on political issues and concepts such as intellectual property or the changing role of audiences.
Axel Stockburger employs global popular culture, such as computer games, and blockbuster films as a starting point for the production of his videos and text works. His work engages with novel forms of participatory and fan culture that have emerged with the transition from traditional mass media like TV and Film towards the Internet. In his videos he focuses on concepts such as intellectual property, political issues in relation to the notion of the information economy as well as the changing role of audiences.
He graduated from the University of Applied Arts in 1999 where he was part of the Master Course for Visual Media Art headed by Prof. Peter Weibel. Between 2000 and 2006 he lived in London, where he received a PhD following a scholarship awarded by the University of the Arts, London. He was a member of the media art group D-Fuse between 2000 and 2004. Since 2006 he lives in Vienna and works as Associate Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. He is a member of the artist association Secession. He was awarded the bmu:kk residency in Chengdu, China in 2010. Between 2010 and 2012 he was part of the artistic research project “Troubling Research: Performing Knowledge in the Arts” which was funded by the WWTF, Austria.
His works are part of various collections and editions (Artothek des Bundes, Austria, Ursula Blickle Video Archive, Edition Medienturm Graz, Collection Jim & Mary Barr, New Zealand, Video Edition Austria – Release 02, The Video Dictionary – (curated by Manuel Saiz), Austrian Video Selection Belef 2004, Austrian Abstracts 99).
More detailed information at www.stockburger.ats
Exhibition “Красная звезда / Red Stars” is a part of a project “Open space for creativity and exhibitions in Lentvaris city” programme.
Contact with us +37062230422, hi.lokomotif@gmail.com
Exhibition curated by “Lokomotif”
Project partially sponsored by: Lithuanian Council for Culture, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Trakai District Municipality
Organiser: Lentvaris Cultural Center
Partners: “Lentvario kilimai”, “Statybų bazė”, Six Chairs Books, ArtBooks.lt, Vilnius Academy of Arts Lithuanian Composers’ Union, Trakai l. Lentvaris Henrikas Senkevičius gymnasium, Trakai l. Lentvaris primary school, Trakai l. Lentvaris „Versmės“ gymnasium
Media partners: „Trakų žemė“, „Galvė“
