German Video Art in the Russian Museum

The program “German video art in the Russian Museum” is organized in cooperation with Goethe-Institut and “Video-Forum” (Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin). The curators have selected eight pieces of art of video artists from Germany and other countries. 

Reflections on the Birth of Venus (Reflexionen über die Geburt der Venus)

1978, 00:21:46, color, sound, PAL,4:3

Ulrike Rosenbach

Born 1943 in Bad Salzdetfurth, lives in Saarbrücken

Ulrike Rosenbach presents the first generation of female contemporary artists who work with video art media From 1970-s onwards in her video art pieces, performances and multimedia installations she investigates the role of woman and its representation in the traditional culture. She forms her video performances by filming her actions and making them part of the sculptural installations. Rosenbach mainly addresses to the feminine images from art history. In her “Reflections on the Birth of Venus”we see the projection of the Sando Botticelli’s painting on the wall, the artist herself, the sand-full shell of the floor and an image of the sea surf. Embedded into the picture of Venus' figure the artist is revolving slowly around herself to the Bob Dylan’s song “Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands”. Like the rhythm of change between day and night the turning actress becomes alternatively visible and invisible.