Peter Sempel, Bazon – Ernste Scherze, Video Still
Monday, 12 December 2016, 6.30 pm
Bazon – Ernste Scherze
Peter Sempel’s „Psychodokumusikfilm“
Film screening and talk with Bettina Steinbrügge (Kunstverein Hamburg) and the director
After his legendary film Die Ameise der Kunst (The Ant of Art), which premiered at the Kunstverein Hamburg in 2010, Peter Sempel – once again – makes visual art and one of its prominent players the subject of his new cinematic experiment. On the occasion of Bazon Brock’s 80th anniversary, Sempel’s film Bazon – Ernste Scherze stars the art historian, scholar, curator, author and jack-of-all-trades in the realm of culture. With his daring film collage, Sempel draws a picture of the eloquent art expert, who enters a special dialogue with the animal kingdom and does not shrink from a critical engagement with art and philosophy. The „Psychodokumusikfilm“ is peppered with references as well as characters and odd moments from the world of art and moves its spectators with music ranging from Verdi to Goldene Zitronen or Blixa Bargeld.
Peter Sempel (*1954, lives in Hamburg) in the early 1980s made his first music films in which he combined underground and classical music and dance. The discussions he had with musicians after performances gave him not only profound insight into their art but also led to many close friendships, the basis for most of his films. His best known music films are „Dandy“ (1988) and „Lemmy (Motörhead)“ (2002/03).
In addition to music, he has also been interested in the medium of film as an art form in its own right. In this context he has devoted a great deal of attention to the Lithuanian filmmaker Jonas Mekas, making two documentaries or film collages: „Jonas in the Desert“ (1994) and „Jonas at the Ocean“ (2003). Many companions and admirers have their say in the films, such as Kenneth Anger, Allen Ginsberg, Martin Scorsese, Yoko Ono and Patti Smith.