An American Night in Bonn

Until the 17th January you can see Julian Rosefeldt's film installation "American Night" at the Kunst Museum in Bonn. Julian Rosefeldt’s works are elaborate mises-en-scéne acting out the uncertain connection between the deliberate absurdity of the situations staged and the apathy of the events unfolding. The architect-trained Berlin-based artist is known for his epic multi-channel film installations, in particular three major works (Stunned Man, The Soundmaker, The perfectionist) that come under the title Trilogy of Failure (2004-06). He uses an exuberant almost baroque visual language which casts his scenes in a calculatedly surreal light. These scenes of eternal striving and constant failure which often show the influence of “tableux vivants”, usually convey a strangely ambivalent mood. They are defined by a purposeful aimlessness which cannot make headway for all its activity but nonetheless appears to be satisfied with itself. All in all, Rosefeldt’s work is first and foremost an allegory on man’s desperate and ultimately futile attempt to escape the standardisations, constraints, structures and rituals which surround and shape us.

Until 17 January 2010
JULIAN ROSEFELDT - AMERICAN NIGHT
Film installations 2004-2009
Kunstmuseum Bonn, Museumsmeile, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 2, 53113 Bonn
T: 0228-776260
kunstmuseum.bonn.dekunstmuseum.bonn.de