A R C H I E F1 9 9 8  
16th
  Felix Knoth
Nackt / Naked
  Brd 1997
Videotape, 3:30, colour, stereo
 
Five naked bodies, trembling, sweating. From anger, pain, pleasure or fear - it is not immediately clear from which. In this short video we see, one by one, close ups of five men. They subject the viewer to a physiognomic examination. Extreme facial expressions lead one to suspect that something serious is going on. But what? Although at first the situation seems to be reasonably under control, a sense of desperation increases with time. What is the reason for this extreme nervousness? What does that decidedly painful look mean? The facial expressions of the five do not lie. They pant, gasp and heave, unlike director Knoth, who emits not a peep. The viewer is in a state of total uncertainty and wonders what is going on here. The shots start following each other faster and faster until the situation becomes almost unbearable. A bitter battle is being fought here. Sighing, moaning and groaning, the men slave away under increasingly heavy pressure. One is bright red, another is shaking like a leaf and yet another's face is strangely contorted. Although the expressions are somewhat recognizable, they would not be out of place in a variety of situations. And that is exactly what this piece is about. Only at the very last moment, after an outpouring of shots of possible plots which do not avoid blood, sweat and tears, the complete picture is shown and the maker clarifies the situation. The pressure is off. We can breath easily again.

– Marieke van Hal

Music: Max Knoth, With: Rudi Buhr, Simone Henneken, Mariola Brillowska, Axel Schaeffler, Günter Reznicek, Ditterich von Euler-Donnersperg, Erik Schmidt, Walter van Wijk, Production: Bartschneider Produktionen

Felix Knoth ° 1969, Hamburg (Brd)
Lives and works in Hamburg (Brd)


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