Experiencing Interruptions?

View behind the curtain...

The work "View behind the curtain" ist part of Ashes of Eden project created by dancer Jana Schmück and visual artist Johannes C. Gerard

The scenery is set in a suburbial area of Bautzen in the Eastern part of Germany. A typcial suburb location for the region. A mix of progress, moving on, stand still, scattered dreams. Even after more 35 years of the unification of Germany. By using dance and movement elements it becomes a metaphorical reflection about the Oberlausitz Region a so called outback region in the East of Germany. About the dramatically changes the region underwent since the Unification focusing on human feelings and experiences about changes, dreams, , staying, leaving and connectedness . A shared cultural experience shaped by the social and political conditions and the environment.

  • Johannes Christopher Gerard
    Director
  • Jana Schmück
    Key Cast
    "Female"
  • Johannes Christopher Gerard
    Key Cast
    "Male"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Other
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 7, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Johannes Christopher Gerard

Born 1959. Studied at School of Printmaking and Design , Cologne, Germany and at Dun Laogharie School of Art and Design, (IADT) Dublin, Ireland. During his art career lived and worked among others in Ireland, Spain, Argentina, Taiwan, Australia, India, Russia, Armenia and Mexico . Currently lives in Berlin, Germany and The Hague, The Netherlands Since 1981 participation in exhibitions, projects, video/film festivals including : Europe, Far East and South Asia, Australia, North and South Americas and Africa. 2007 photography, installation, printmaking became main disciplines. In 2010 first photography installations. In 2014 first video films. At the same time became interested in performance arts. Since than conducted several video, photography and performance collaboration projects with artists from Taiwan, Russia, Netherlands and Germany. 2016 developed together with the theater teacher Denise Dröge a concept for an interdisciplinary and particapatory performance/workshop for school children (Here & Now). In 2017 developed this performance workshop further for adults audience (Unfolded & Unwrapped). In 2016/2017 made a series of videos (Anticipating You) related to the poems of the Russians poets Alexander Blok and Anna Akhmadova. Between 2018 and 2019 collaboration video, photography and performances projects (Yerevan in March / Conecta – No Conecta) with theater students and artists in Yerevan, Armenia and Mexico City , Mexico

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Director Statement

Collaborative Projects - The Ashes of Eden

In international and collaborative projects such as The Ashes of Eden, site-specific themes are to be interpreted and developed through collaboration with regional artists and participants.
The Ashes of Eden is a joint work by Jana Schmück (Bautzen) and Johannes Christopher Gerard (Netherlands/Germany)
The concept of these projects is based on isolating, cataloguing, analyzing and studying in detail these site-specific themes or objects. Deepening the context they are in, how they differ from one place to another, urban/rural and social settings, neighborhoods or communities. How autonomous are the spaces or objects of a region and how are they related and interconnected?
In many of these projects, the public space becomes the stage. At the same time, they are interdisciplinary projects that include performance, dance, video, photography and sometimes also integrate site-specific installations