China –
Music plays an important role in subcultures and protest movements. Music brings people together – both in clubs, concerts or at demonstrations.
‘無所有’ Nothing to my name« is a title of a rock-song by Chinese musician Cui Jian written in 1986 which became an unofficial anthem for Chinese youth and activists during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
‘無所有’ Nothing to my name« is a title of a rock-song by Chinese musician Cui Jian written in 1986 which became an unofficial anthem for Chinese youth and activists during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
In October 2011 during the »Golden Week« and the Chinese National Holiday Katja Stuke and Oliver Sieber have been in Bejing.
During the days Katja took‚ in her hybrid mixtures of video and photography, 100 anonymous street portraits on Tiananmen Square, which is not only the biggest public square in the world but also the most controversial and monitored place we have been until now.
This new work continue on series like »Suits« and »Eleven to Liverpool Street« which where shot in London (one of the most monitored cities worldwide) or »Osaka Public/Osaka Private« from 2006.
During the night they visited the few but great punk clubs and live houses where Oliver took portraits to continue the »Imaginary Club« project which before brought him to several cities in Germany, the US, Japan or Finland to clubs, concerts and festivals. This whole series includes more than 200 color portraits and as many black&white street photographs to describe the places of the five-years journey.
Since 1999 the two artists have been juxtaposing different series in their self-published fanzine »Frau Böhm« and in several books and exhibitions. In their understanding both photo books and exhibitions are appropriate and important forms of expression in Photography and for years they have been experimenting with different forms of presentation.
Katja Stuke and Oliver Sieber are currently exhibiting at the Contemporary Art Space, Osaka, Japan.
