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| © Effie Wu |
Encouragement Prize
Super Smile
Visual Image
Artist: Effie WU
(Germany)
The artist herself guides her room with her smile fixed on the camera. The viewer ends up facing the artist who keeps smiling and does not blink, and they become unable to take their eyes off the image. A visual work which questions the relationship between the camera and filmed person.
Effie WU
Born in Taipei, Taiwan. Living in Berlin. Studied performing arts at the National University of the Arts in Taipei. Worked for Pipilotti Rist. 2007 finished her studies on Experimental Media Art at the University of the Arts Berlin. Works were shown in many countries and received several international awards.
I am very very happy that the Jury can enjoy my sense of humor. The work is about the impossibility of keeping your perfect personal image in everyday life. This permanent "Super Smile" attracts the viewers’ attention in an unavoidable way. Thank you very much for the prize. The appreciation from Japan Media Arts Festival is very important to me. I am looking forward to visiting Tokyo and I will be very pleased to meet you there!
My eyes were glued to the screen. Before her smile, staring at us with her eyes unblinking for about five full minutes, the only thing that a viewer can do is just stand transfixed as if their soul were dehydrated.
Is it a very well-trained performance? Or, is it a digital composition technique?
However, rather than mulling over such a matter, I would like to focus on several concepts which this work involves. The artist herself gives the performance in this image and a weird atmosphere is created which makes the viewer feel disturbed. The reason why we feel like that is that she deliberately points out the view of people towards Asians in Europe; being a woman,communication problems, and other things, like a knife at viewers as an arm of the presentation. This work can be called an alarming work which induces deep reflection.
Is it a very well-trained performance? Or, is it a digital composition technique?
However, rather than mulling over such a matter, I would like to focus on several concepts which this work involves. The artist herself gives the performance in this image and a weird atmosphere is created which makes the viewer feel disturbed. The reason why we feel like that is that she deliberately points out the view of people towards Asians in Europe; being a woman,communication problems, and other things, like a knife at viewers as an arm of the presentation. This work can be called an alarming work which induces deep reflection.
What has lead you to “create a work”?
First, I get an image, and I think that I must realize this image into form. I am not even able to sleep at night if I don't create a work on that image.
What tools do you use the most at present?
Performance and video
What do you place greatest value on in your work?
Humor. I want to project a smile on people's faces and make them happy. Also I would like to create my work with real performances without using imaging techniques including computer graphics or any image processing.
What personal concept do you keep throughout your creative activities?
A perfect image. But it is impossible. For example, you can photograph pretty things but that is because it is a blink of time and it isn't expected to last for 24 hours. All the more reason I have a perfect image as a theme of my creation.
Also, to try to establish communication with other people's bodies using daily life and myself, and my own body.
Also, to try to establish communication with other people's bodies using daily life and myself, and my own body.
When you create a work, in what way do you think of a presentation using technologies or media as a means to communicate?
Rather than technology, in my case, I am doing live performance, so it is more like to attract people's attention and videoize my performances.
Could you name a person, a work, or an event that you have been influenced by the most?
Pipilotti RIST
What kind of work would you like to create in the future?
Life, world, human relationships, among others by performance.
What is the meaning or importance of “to create” for you?
Magician. Because the work was actually finished and people who saw it and myself too were surprised.
