VIDEOSKOP: View of the imai video art collection from the outside

Jürgen Klauke: «Lachen − Weinen» (Laughing and crying), 1978

The repetitive emptying of countless beer cans like a ritual progresses slowly into a smile in the face of the artist and is punctuated by a woman sobbing in the background. Love, loneliness and expressions of human relationships are reflected in this video with its intensity further enhanced through the loop version. Even after 30 years since its realisation, the video performance has lost none of its topicality. Only contemporary materials and other technical possibilities have transformed the stylistic elements commonly used today.

The quality of Jürgen Klauke's artistic approach is his ability to portray the abysses of human existence in all aspects in a brilliant artistic manner. The titles of his works are relevant indicators.

View video
Click on the title image or this link to view «Lachen − Weinen» in the imai online catalog. Choose the button «play» to start the 05:05 min stream. Find further works of Jürgen Klauke viewable in full length in the imai online catalogue.

Jürgen Klauke
Biography of Jürgen Klauke in the imai online catalog >> (click on the text for better view)
More works of Jürgen Klauke in the imai online catalog.

Anita Beckers
In 1998 Anita Beckers established an additional video room in her Frankfurt gallery, which is well known for its dialogue between various artistic media. In 2005 she was presented with the Media Art Award of the Saarländischer Rundfunk Saarbrücken for the promotion of video art. Jürgen Klauke was an early addition to her international program.
www.galerie-beckers.de

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