GEORG MATTHES "artVideo-videoStills"

The Russian Museum introduces the oeuvre of a famous German journalist, caricaturist, producer, photographer and videoartist Georg Matthes. Photographs, series of films and videostills, taken from dance performances made by the artist, are included in the exhibition. Five video films are shown at the exhibition: Young Samurai, Rashomon 2000 at the Temple, Shinyo, Evolution and Lachsgang. Robert Reschkowski. In these works the master using technical video effects reaches hypnotic influence on a viewer. The dancers either enshroud in darkness, merging with environment, or create a concrete pattern of a dance in a sea of glittering colours. The aim of the artist is to reveal the elementary potential of movements and to lead a trained dancer to spontaneity. Georg Matthes gives an opportunity to improvise, unlimiting natural gestures. Music plays an important role in Georg Matthes' works therefore many films were scored by the artist. Georg Matthes lives and works in Japan. He has directed more than 400 dance films since 1978. He was the first to film naked dancers in Japan. For a long period of time he has contributed to Yomo Shimbun, Gunma and Maebashi publications. He develops illustrations for numerous TV films, makes cover illustrations, writes his own books and works as a TV journalist and a representative of German film industry on the Far East. In 2003 one of his works Dieter Blum documentary video was shown at Dieter Blum exhibition in the Russian Museum. A catalogue for the exhibition has been published.