On January 23, 2020, beißpony played their last gig onstage, inside the sold-out VOID Club in Bordeaux, France. One day later, news outlets reported the first European Covid-19 cases in Bordeaux and Paris. Stages and auditoriums have remained empty since then.
Lawnmower in E minor takes up the melancholy mood of this image of the empty stage, digs into the archives, feels around for irretrievable moments and goes on a quest. The 26-minute film could be likened to a person’s skin: What will be taken in? What can be repelled? And what lies between layers? The artist's existence in lockdown becomes a boxing match. An empty income tax binder gets converted into a stage. The musicians rear up. A kiss is followed by an exchange of blows - struggles for understanding, for attention. A joyful tour de force, always embracing contradictions: everything in the guise of a puppet theatre.
Director Biography - Klaus Erika Dietl, Stephanie Müller
Salt (miHl) >> short film, 3:00 min./ collaboration with Mirna Emad (Cairo, Egypt), Ramsey Kattan (Amman, Jordan), Anas Nahleh (Amman, Jordan)/ filmed at the Dead Sea and at Chaos Club in Amman, Jordan/ produced in Munich, Germany, January 2024
Kiosk Bioskop – Metro Membran >> transformation of a former kiosk in Munich's subway system into a film studio/ production of a series of short video episodes in collaboration with media artist Mikio Saito (Sapporo, Japan)/ funded by SWM, BBK Munich and Upper Bavaria an PLATFORM, Munich, Germany, November and December 2023
Dead Sea >> short dance film, 3:12 min./ produced at the Dead Sea in Jordan/ funded by Goethe Institut Amman and Prince Claus Fund/ premiered at IDEA Festival, Amman, Jordan, September 2023
In der Zukunft. Wildes. Wurzeln. Mensch ärgere Dich nicht. >> short film, 14:35 min./ presented at „Zeitkapsel Giesing“, a public media art platform, Munich, July and August 2023
Glitch Feminism >> short film, 6:53 min./ presented at „Bloom Festival“, Import Export, Munich, Germany, March 2023
Imitation of Life/ Spiel mir das Lied >> short film, 9:28 min./ produced within the art & reasearch project „Spek/trum – Die Stadt als Resonanzkörper“, Werksviertel-Mitte-Kunst, Munich, Germany, July till October 2022/ premiered at the exhibition „Separat Waschen“, Städtische Galerie, Rosenheim, Germany, June till July 2023
Klangkörper >> video documentation of a live performance in collaboration with former Mission Dominican Sisters/ 18:04 min./ part of the exhibition „Transformationen 22: CARE“/ Monastery Schlehdorf, Germany, July 2022
Topsy*>> video and film music production grant/ funded by the GVL (German institution that transfers royalities to artists), Berlin/ November 2021 till March 2022
Besteck >> video loop, 2:10 min./ presented at the group exhibition “Fragmente eines Staatsbanketts zu Ehren des Demos“/ community center and art space “Köşk“, Munich, Germany/ Nov. till December 2021
Cozy Defence – An Inventory >> video loop, 1:30 min./ presented at the group exhibition “Fragmente eines Staatsbanketts zu Ehren des Demos“/ community center and art space “Köşk“, Munich, Germany/ November till December 2021
Sharper Than A Needle >> live VJ-set for “Nähmaschinenduett“ (RagRec) at the sound art festival “21 sunsets“, 30:00 min./ Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Berlin, Germany/ July 2021
Origins >> video installation, 17:52 min./ presented at the group exhibition “Paradise Lost #gender shift“/ Galerie der Künstler (BBK), DG Galerie, Munich, Germany/ May till June 2021
Rasenmäher in E-Moll >> music short film, 26:23 min./ Munich, Germany; Oxford, UK/ premiered on the 18th of February 2021 at the Brecht-Haus, Berlin, Germany/ nominated for the MuVi Prize at the International Short Film Festival, Oberhausen, Germany >> honored with a special mention by the jury/ May 2021
Kekuasaan >> music video for the Indonesian band Senyawa, 2:10 min./ February 2021
Rohbau mit Aussicht >> short docu-fiction, 6:45 min./ presented within the group exhibition “Nähe verschwindet nicht“/ RAW gallery at the Department of Labor & Economy, Munich, Germany/ July till September 2020
Nein >> video loop, 1:15 min./ presented within the group exhibition “Nähe verschwindet nicht“/ RAW gallery at the Department of Labor & Economy, Munich, Germany/ July till September 2020
A Clearer Mirror >> music essay, 5:57 min./ a coproduction with composer and singer-songwriter Rawan Roshni/ funded by Goethe Institute Amman, Jordan/ June 2020
The Animal Papers >> short film, 9:07 min./ part of „The Unwritten New Normal“, an online co-production with dancer an choreographer Anas Nahleh/ funded by Goethe Institut Amman, Jordan/ June 2020
Ich brauche eine Genie #12 >> experimental music documentary, 18:54 min./ portrait of “A Duet Of Amplified Sewing Machines“/ presented within the online edition of “Krawalle & Liebe“/ Berlin, Germany/ June 2020
Archive Artist Publications >> short documentary, 16:10 min./ portrait of Hubert Kretschmer and his zine and artist book archive (since 1960s)/ presented at Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany/ October 2018 till June 2019
Nation of Defects >> music video for SEWICIDE, 2:53 min./ nominated for the MuVi Prize at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Germany/ May 2019
Tribute to Anni Albers >> video installation, 10:00 min./ presented within the nationwide opening festival of “100 Jahre Bauhaus“/ Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany/ January 2019
Friends Of Frozen Conflicts >> short film, / produced at various locations in Tibilisi and Zemo Nikozi, Georgia and in Munich, Germany/ funded by artasfoundation, Zurich, Swizzerland, September 2018/ nominated for the grand jury prize at the “Art Visuals and Poetry Filmfestival“, Vienna, Austria, November 2019
Take a Stand, But What to Wear? >> music video for the band OK DECAY, 10:15 min./ nominated for the MuVi Prize at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Germany/ May 2018
Arms Are For Hugging, Arms Are For Mugging >> short docu-fiction, 9:16 min./ presented at BE Festival, REP Theatre, Birmingham, UK/ July 2018
Flecken >> 6 short films, 98:02 min. >> Die Geschichte vom “Affenbaum“ in Horb, 24:16 min./ Der ARTpark in Horb, 13:16 min./ Descendants, 21:48 min./ Planet Sexy Cactus, 11:35 min./ SEARCH, 6:16 min./ panta rhei, 17:51 min./ Flecken Trailer, 2:35 min. >> recorded in collaboration with local communities in the Black Forest area, January till October 2018/ funded by LAFT - Landesverband Freie Tanz- und Theaterschaffende Baden-Württemberg e. V./ premiered at the Trickfilmtage Stuttgart, Horb am Neckar, Germany/ November 2018
Schwarze Zunge >> video portrait about the visual artist and performer Gili Avissar (Tel Aviv, Israel), 07:42 min./ presented at MEWO Kunsthalle, Memmingen/ October 2018
Das Letzte Loch ist der Mund (Our Mouth – The Ultimate Prison) >> feature film, 86:39 min./ premiered within the exhibition “After The Fact“, Kunstbau am Lenbachhaus, Munich/ July, 2017/ distributed by SOONER – European Streaming Network for Arthouse and Independent Films
Helga Meins aus München >> short film, 17:46 min./ shot within a day followed by a live sound improvisation by Watercoloured Well & Brandstifter/ Walpodenakademie - Forum für interdisziplinäre experimentelle Kunst und Projekte, Mainz, Germany/ April 2017
next stop start next >> short film, 18:00 min./ premiered within the group exhibition “Auch wenn es Flucht bedeutet“/ art space “GlogauAir“, Berlin, Germany/ November 2016
H2CO3 >> short film, 21:00 min. / produced and premiered at the international artist symposium “VORORT2 draußen“/ kunstort ELEVEN artspace, Börstingen-Starzach, Germany/ October 2016
Body Of Oz >> music video for “beißpony“ (RagRec), 5:34 Min./ premiered at the IFFF (International Women*s Film Festival), Dortmund, Germany, April 2017/ nominated for the MuVi Prize at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Germany/ May 2017
Masochistic Time Machine >> music video for “beißpony“ (ChicksOnSpeed Records), 3:20 min./ premiered by the online platform “AfterEllen“, New York, USA, March 2016/ presented at “Bideodromo – International Experimental Film and Video Festival“, Bilbao, Spain/ September 2016
Eineinhalb Umkreisungen/ one and a half orbits >> short film, 6:38 min./ produced during a public recording laboratory at “Filmfest München“, art & culture centre “Gasteig“, Munich, Germany/ July 2016
Voodoo Cherrys >> live VJ-set for “beißpony“ (ChicksOnSpeed Records), 45:00 min./ SXSW Festival, Austin, Texas, USA/ March 2016
Global Players >> short film, 18:09 min./ produced at various locations in Lviv, Ukraine, July and August 2015/ premiered at the group exhibition “Im Fadenkreuz“, Schafhof - European Center for Art, Freising, Germany/ February 2016
The Dill Principle >> mockumentary, 10:09 min./ produced at various locations in Lviv, Ukraine, July and August 2015/ premiered at the group exhibition “Im Fadenkreuz“, Schafhof - European Center for Art, Freising, Germany/ February 2016
Susi (i.e. Susanna and the Elders) >> video installation, 8:49 min./ presented at the group exhibition “The Common Thread“, District Court, Munich, Germany/ November 2015
Splitterwochen >> silent film, 13:21 min./ with a live-scoring at the “Noise Mobility Festival“, Glockenbachwerkstatt, Munich, Germany/ May 2015
Terror of the District >> music video for “beißpony“ (ChicksOnSpeed Records), 3:30 min./ nominated for the MuVi Prize at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Germany, May 2014/ presented at the IFFF (International Women*s Film Festival), Dortmund, Germany, April 2015
My Name is Luka Call Me Catherine >> short film, 23:00 min./ premiered at the solo exhibition “Aussage gegen Aussage“, Kunstverein Wasserburg, Germany, March 2013/ nominated for the international art prize “Missing Link“, Institute for Psychoanalysis IPU, Berlin, Germany, January 2014
Fatale Strategien >> short film, 14:34 min./ premiered at the group exhibition „Einen Fehler Machen. Alle Fehler Machen. Ordentlich Fehler Machen“, Kunstarkaden, Munich, Germany/ February 2012
Director Statement
Klaus Erika Dietl is a media artist and performer with a background in filmmaking and literature. He studied painting and art theory at the Academy of Arts (AdBK) in Munich. Together with Stephanie Müller he initiated MEDIENDIENST LEISTUNGSHÖLLE in 2009. Since then it has evolved from a vibrant underground studio to a nucleus for international media art research and exchange programs.Stephanie Müller aka Rag*Treasure is a visual artist, fashion designer, performer, experimental musician and sociological researcher. She has a master’s degree in communication science, sociology and psychology (LMU Munich) and postgraduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.Since 2006 Stephanie has been part of beißpony (ChicksOnSpeed Records), an experimental pop duo based in Oxford and Munich. Together with Klaus Erika Dietl she started the textile sound art duo SEWICIDE. During live concerts the stage becomes an open workshop. Sewing machines, spinning wheels, needles, and thread are sonified. Textile processing machines serve as both tools and musical instruments. Sewing, embroidering, and repairing are part of the sound.Both artists share a very haptical approach to different fields of art and research. Their interest in textiles and organisms such as plants or fungi often resonates with their digital research. Their main focus is on circular systems. Therefore, they primarily use discarded textiles and other defective goods as materials. Currently they try to explore how textile and food waste can be repurposed through simple do-it-yourself methods. They are researching material combinations involving paper waste, beeswax, different kinds of food remnants and other organic waste to craft wearable objects and sculptures.
Comments