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Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot

Video installation in Museum Folkwang

  • (c) Yakov Afuta
  • © Magda Kulak
    (c) Magda Kulak
  • (c) Karin Idelson
  • © Ana Bravo Pérez
    (c) Ana Bravo Pérez
  • © Ewa Ciechanowska
    (c) Ewa Ciechanowska
  • © Cristián Silva-Avária
    (c) Cristián Silva-Avária
  • © Nguyen / Hoang Anh
    (c) Nguyen / Hoang Anh
  • © Phillip Leonard
    (c) Phillip Leonard

Ruhrtriennale and Museum Folkwang mourn with Antje Ehmann, his family and his friends for the artist Harun Farocki. 1944 - 2014.

The camera of the first film ever screened was pointed at a factory. The film, entitled La Sortie de l’usine Lumière á Lyon (1895), shows men and women as they leave the gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon. The film of the Lumière Brothers, shot in just a single take, tells us that every detail of the moving world is worth being arrested on film and viewed.

For their new project Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit (Labour in a Single Shot) Antje Ehmann and Harun Farocki return to the methods of the Lumière Brothers to gain something of the decisive objectivity of the films of the nineteenth century. They made it themselves their task to also treat the subject of ´work` with a single camera shot.

Over the last three years, Ehmann and Farocki travelled to 15 major urban centers where they produced over 400 short films with local video artists and filmmakers. The films show forms of work that are paid and unpaid, material and immaterial, traditional and brand new, industrial and pre-industrial.

Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit is a challenge to see work in the twenty-first century from a double perspective: as an individual act in the midst of collective constraints. The short films are simultaneously a form of documentation and a form of construction: For the rhetorical figure of the ´workers`, they collect a plethora of concrete images. Taking pictures of the tiniest details of the tools, machine loading, hand movements, motion sequence, and scenic moments, the film shots develop their observations and linkages from the material itself. Whether sitting at the loom, at the computer, or at the piano, whether at Boston’s MIT, a senior citizen’s home in Buenos Aires, Łódź’s Museum of Natural History, or a gym in Tel Aviv, they are surprisingly magical moments that the factual generates.

The exhibition conceived for the museum space is the first extensive presentation of Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit. It does not understand itself as the only conceivable, closed narrative, but as a kind of symbolic editing table, a lab in which the spectator can put together his or her own film. Ten screens showing six short films each from the respective cities, with images, voices, sounds, and various languages, fill an entire room. Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit is a surprising social history, a highly organized, global encyclopedia, and a condensed reading of reality.

How workers today around the world leave their place of work is shown in an additional installation that Antje Ehmann and Harun Farocki developed during the many years of working together. Arbeiter verlassen ihren Arbeitsplatz in 10 Städten (Workers Leaving Workplace in Ten Cities) can be seen as an updated remake of the Lumière film. The installation shows on ten monitors how workers leave their place of employment in ten different cities.

Antje Ehmann is curator, author, and artist. Harun Farocki, filmmaker and writer, has been analyzing political, social, and cultural issues using film since 1966. In the mid-1990s, he began to extend his works from the cinema to the art space, from the screen to the video installation. His works, now more than 100 films, are shown in galleries, museums, and biennials around the world. Antje Ehmann and Harun Farocki live in Berlin.

A project by —
Antje Ehmann, Harun Farocki
Films from —
Bangalore (Indien), Boston (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentinien), Kairo (Ägypten), Hangzou (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), Johannesburg (Süd Afrika), Łódž (Polen), Rio de Janeiro (Brasilien), Tel Aviv (Israel)

Shows

Location
— Museum Folkwang, Essen
Location
— Museum Folkwang, Essen
Premiere
— 16. August 2014
Further dates
— 17. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. August 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 23. 24. 25. 27. 28. September
New Work
Tickets
— 5 €
Reduced prices start at 3,50 €
August
  • Sat16Aug
    12.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 16. August 2014 at 12.00 PM
  • Sun17Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 17. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Tue19Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 19. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed20Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 20. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu21Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 21. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Fri22Aug
    10.00 - 22.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 22. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat23Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 23. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun24Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 24. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Tue26Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 26. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed27Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 27. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu28Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 28. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Fri29Aug
    10.00 - 22.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 29. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat30Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 30. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun31Aug
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 31. August 2014 at 10.00 AM
September
  • Tue 2Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 2. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed 3Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 3. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu 4Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 4. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Fri 5Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 5. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat 6Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 6. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun 7Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 7. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Tue 9Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 9. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed10Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 10. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu11Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 11. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Fri12Sep
    10.00 - 22.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 12. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat13Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 13. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun14Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 14. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Tue16Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 16. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed17Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 17. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu18Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 18. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Fri19Sep
    10.00 - 22.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 19. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat20Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 20. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun21Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 21. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Tue23Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 23. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Wed24Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 24. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Thu25Sep
    10.00 - 15.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 25. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sat27Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 27. September 2014 at 10.00 AM
  • Sun28Sep
    10.00 - 18.00
    Antje Ehmann / Harun Farocki: Eine Einstellung zur Arbeit - Labour in a Single Shot on 28. September 2014 at 10.00 AM

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Interactive installation by Urbane Künste Ruhr at the Hochofenstraße
Boris Charmatz / César Vayssié: Levée
Musée de la danse – Filminstallation in Museum Folkwang
Gregor Schneider: KUNSTMUSEUM
Site specific sculpture at Kunstmuseum Bochum

Press Comments

Es gibt einen Künstler, der bewiesen hat, dass man Filme schaffen kann, die das Denken, den Blick, vielleicht sogar ein bisschen die kleine Welt derer verändert, die sie zu sehen bekommen: Harun Farocki.

— FAZ, 09.01.2014

Ein Filmemacher, der das Medium selbst zum Ort der Kritik macht.

— taz, 10.02.2014

A production by Ruhrtriennale presented in
cooperation with Museum Folkwang.
A coproduction of Harun Farocki Filmproduction
and Goethe-Institut. The overall management is conducted by
Detlef Gericke-Schönhagen, Goethe-Institut Boston.