Encounters with Women Pioneers of Performance Art

Opening with the artists and autors on wednesday 31 october, 6-8p.m.

DVD-Edition, edited by Andrea Saemann and Katrin Grögel
Published by edition fink – Verlag für zeitgenössische Kunst, Zürich

Presentation at STAMPA Gallery, Basel:
Interview 01: Esther Ferrer
Interview 02: VALIE EXPORT
Interview 03: Monika Günther

Performance Saga Interviews is a collection of video interviews with American and European women pioneers of Performance Art. The artists, now between 63 and 74 years old, played an important part in the 1960s and 1970s in establishing and developing this, at the time, new art form. Coming from painting, sculpture, literature, film or photography, they discovered their bodies as a medium for visual art. The artists interviewed for Performance Saga are: VALIE EXPORT (Vienna), Esther Ferrer (Paris), Monika Günther (Essen/Lucerne), Joan Jonas (New York), Alison Knowles (New York), Ulrike Rosenbach (Cologne), Martha Rosler (New York), Carolee Schneemann (New Paltz).

They were interviewed for Performance Saga by the artists Andrea Saemann and Chris Regn (co-director of the Hamburg archive bildwechsel—dachverband für frauen/medien/kultur). In this dialogue between artists, the first women performers talk about their work and the conditions under which it arose, giving glimpses into how they think and position themselves. The Edition provides a lively and informative introduction to Performance Art, as well as insight into its origins. The Edition is bilingual (German/English) and subtitled. Each DVD is accompanied by a booklet with bilingual texts.

The presentation at Galerie Stampa introduces the first three DVDs released in fall 2007. Five additional DVDs will be published in 2008. Performance Saga transmits and updates the history of Performance Art on many different levels. Besides the publication of video interviews the project includes the conception and realization of performance pieces, and the planning of events.
In the 70es, Galerie STAMPA organized performances and exhibitions with VALIE EXPORT, Ulrike Rosenbach, a.o.

Interview 01: Esther Ferrer
Video, French with English subtitles, recorded in 2003 in Paris and in 2006 in Berne, duration 57 minutes
The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with an article by Annamira Jochim.

Interview 02: VALIE EXPORT
Video, German with English subtitles, recorded in 2004 in Cologne, duration 39 minutes
The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with an article by Sibylle Peters.

Interview 03: Monika Günther
Video, German with English subtitles, recorded in 2003 in Essen and Lucerne, duration 49 minutes
The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with an article by Helge Meyer.

Interview 04: Carolee Schneemann
Video, English with German subtitles, recorded in 2003 in New Paltz, NY, published 2008, duration 50 minutes; The Edition includes a brochure (German/English) with a text by Katrin Grögel.

Interview 05: Ulrike Rosenbach
Video, German with English subtitles, recorded in 2003 in Rösberg near Cologne, published 2008, duration 53 minutes; The Edition includes a brochure (German/English) with a text by Inge Hinterwaldner.

Interview 06: Joan Jonas
Video, English spoken with German subtitles, recorded 2003 in New York City, published 2008, duration 53 minutes; The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with a text by Katrin Grögel.

Interview 07: Martha Rosler
Video, English spoken with German subtitles, recorded 2003 in Brooklyn, NY, published 2008, duration 57 minutes; The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with a text by Mary Paterson.

Interview 08: Alison Knowles
Video, English spoken with German subtitles, recorded 2003 in New York City, published 2008, duration 52 minutes; The Edition includes a booklet (German/English) with a text by Martina Papiro.

The DVDs may be ordered at the price of Sfr. 28.-/Euro 17.- each at STAMPA Gallery, Basel. A reservation for the complete edition of eight interviews may be placed at the price of Sfr. 180/Euro 110.-.