Creating art has given me a better understanding of the world. Recreating an idea through the creative lens of art requires in-depth study of that idea – the way it has been made, the way it looks, the philosophy behind it, in it.
Being able to create anything I want from my ideas and processes, learning new techniques, experimenting with the ideas and have created something beautiful even if my work of art does not make sense to others, this is already an advantage. Being an artist means being willing to engage with the world in a fresh way. It means to be able to observe things and express them in a personal unique way. This increases self-awareness, a sense of fulfillment and peace of mind in and after the act of creating. I create to communicate, to keep a discourse – ongoing – what matters to me, to us and to the world. And that’s really rewarding.

More than ever, I am pleased to have participated in the Colorado activist film festival. I didn´t win an award, but I didn´t lose either. It’s great to be able to attend such festivals.

However, insecure times like these need platforms and film festivals like Denver/Colorado. As long as festivals like this are allowed to continue, I still have hope in our society all over the world. On that note I want to thank again Sharlene & #CIAFF 2018 Team for organizing this festival. You already inspired me for a new project to be realized in 2019.

Hagalaz explores the role that ceremony can play in the resolution of trauma. It offers an insight into how such ceremonies can transform previously shattered relationships and reestablish meaningful connections with others. The experience of suffering was recorded through narrative and a symbolic releasing of the past.

Medium – Christa Liebach
Ritual Designer, Photographer, Video and Sound Editing – Detlef Schlich
ⒸCute Alien TV 2018

Detlef Schlich is an interdisciplinary artist and ritual designer working with performance, photography, painting, sound, installations and film. His main concern is the exploration of the loss of boundaries between human beings and technology in the 21st Century, the emerging phenomenon of transhumanism in the digital age. His methodology is the creation of an alter ego, a mythical character, a contemporary manifestation of transhumanism which embodies the symbiotic relationship between the human experience and technology. Through these alter egos he can explore this fatalistic relationship in which human beings are losing their spirituality and seek methods of re-spiritualization through art. In his studio, he uses ritual performance footage as a source of inspiration. He then works with digital and physical media collaging both the charcoal, acrylics and digital to create a final piece of visual work.

 

Eventually after a long, long period of producing a product video for a crowdfunding page I found my energy back to reflect on it. What does it mean to find a compromise in order to achieve a piece of art? How can I be still valid as a visual artist and how can my art advertise the product?
Creating this video for multiEngine@easyGoing involved directing, acting, sound and video editing, and guiding the script or rather writing a guideline-storyboard etc. etc. for this video from scratch on.


Product advertising is any method of communication about the promotion of a product in an attempt to induce potential customers to purchase the product. Well, I never had the ambition to work for a commercial product or advertising agencies and I don´t plan it in near future, but creating a visual compromise was a challenge and I think I´ve done it.
What I found eventually convincing: the keywords and the mission of creating multiEngine@easyGoing. Among other things it was safety, security, privacy, peer-2 peer communication and the VPN server in Iceland. It rings my bell because it means this product is supposed to support and keep democracy!
One big trap where I was falling into was to assume that the product founder knows best. Eventually it turned out that it is very common that the business owner is uniquely unqualified to see his company or product objectively. Too much product knowledge leads him to answer questions no one is asking. He’s on the inside looking out, trying to describe himself to me on the outside looking in. That made me realise that It’s hard to read the label when you’re inside the bottle.
For some reason, advertisers want their ads to look and sound like ads. Working for days on just a couple of seconds in order to create something special in after effect just for the sake that the multiEngine inventor disagreed to use it because it was to arty is very frustrating ….but a learning curve: Never start  working to precise without double checking the idea with the founder or producer of the product. It can be very frustrating….and it was!! Which is another reason why I am not enthusiastic about working for an agency.
However.. It was great though to work together with my performance team from former video installations and I am very thankful that Corina and Mick use to be part of this project, because this still keeps it there where it supposed to be: In the landscape of Art.
Nevertheless…I like the outcome but make your own opinion about it.
Videoclip multiEngine@easyGoing

 
 
 
 
 

Just volunteering with friends the visual content for a software presentation project. The keynote will be soon, probably in 2 weeks. We start to send invitations next week. Respond is urgently required due to restricted space. You can let me know via this post if you want me to put a notice regarding a place or rather reserve a place for you. The keynote will be streamed via social network and takes place here on one of the next Sundays in Castletownbere around 4 – 5 pm isch. Food, drinks and music will be provided after the announcement. Hope I see you here.
Here the links to my friends article in the irish time from today

Big dreams and a hint of eccentricity on Beara

There is still editing and a big set up for the show involved….However, all are excited.

Detlef Schlich & Corina Thornton in a visual essay in 3 parts about
the human condition in times of transhumanism. A Cute Alien TV production
with the participation of DIT/BAVA Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Transodin – Detlef Schlich
The last human – Corina Thornton
First Camera Operator – Mick Eile
Second Camera Operator – Jens F.
Third Camera Operator – Detlef Schlich
Special FX – Mick Eile
Catering and Directors Assistent – Sigi Berndt
Make Up Artist – Marie Claire Hodgson
Light – Mick Eile
Electricity and Forest Support – Owen K.
Concept, visual and sound editing by Detlef Schlich
Director Detlef Schlich

Detlef Schlich & Corina Thornton in a visual essay in 3 parts about
the human condition in times of transhumanism. A Cute Alien TV production
with the participation of DIT/BAVA Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Transodin – Detlef Schlich
The last human – Corina Thornton
First Camera Operator – Mick Eile
Second Camera Operator – Jens F.
Third Camera Operator – Detlef Schlich
Special FX – Mick Eile
Catering and Directors Assistent – Sigi Berndt
Make Up Artist – Marie Claire Hodgson
Light – Mick Eile
Electricity and Forest Support – Owen K.
Concept, visual and sound editing by Detlef Schlich
Director Detlef Schlich

Detlef Schlich & Corina Thornton in a visual essay in 3 parts about
the human condition in times of transhumanism. A Cute Alien TV production
with the participation of DIT/BAVA Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Transodin – Detlef Schlich
The last human – Corina Thornton
First Camera Operator – Mick Eile
Second Camera Operator – Jens F.
Third Camera Operator – Detlef Schlich
Special FX – Mick Eile
Catering and Directors Assistent – Sigi Berndt
Make Up Artist – Marie Claire Hodgson
Light – Mick Eile
Electricity and Forest Support – Owen Kelly
Concept, visual and sound editing by Detlef Schlich
Director Detlef Schlich

   

Step 1: Research Step 2: Drawing – Observation and Understanding

As an multidisciplinary artist I use digital medias like digitally altered images, video, performance, 3D animation, drawing, painting, sculpturing and installations to explore the human condition through artistic expression.
I am interested in process as a meta narrative; after my research I started to work with mark making and collages. As starting point I used mixed media like charcoal, ink, acrylics, PVA, plastic nets and other media. I mount images (containing expressions of our consciousness and synapses) on canvas. In order to explore the tensions between digital tools and analogue selves I transform them physically via intense mark making into  synapses (metaphorical).
Connecting my brain and personal mind with the physical world through mark making, applying a visual copy of my own neurons and synapses to the canvas is  a very personal journey through my consciousness and everyone in this blog is welcome to take part of this experience.

  Step 3: Developing and Preparing the Performance

Inspired by a metaphorical hint surrounded by the physical waves of West Cork and after all my physical and spiritual artistic “exploring the brain(or rather my brain/neurons/synapses)” sessions I decided to explore the subject through a ritual performance:

Drawing and Painting with Brainwaves!Agenda: Hanging upside down from a tree and painting with 4 different colours (Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta) brain waves to a canvas.

Location: Clonakilty, Castlefreke

 

Through my research I found out that the origin of the “Hanged Man” is said to be connected with the sacrifice of Odin, the chief of the Norse gods, who according to mythology, hung upside down in a tree for nine days to gain entry to the underworld and learn the meaning of the runes.

The 4 liquid Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta Brain wave colors supposed to be attached to my head. I use first aid gloves for this, to make sure the canvas gets uncontaminated Brainwaves. The gloves normally used during medical examinations and procedures that help prevent contamination between caregivers (the artist) and patients (the canvas). Perfect.

 An appropriate medium!

The Team

Step 4: The Hanged Man Performance

As a precondition to his self sacrifice Odin was wounded with his own spear and had to pull out one of his eyes. I saw already a good chance to replace or rather emphasize this with an attached action camera eye as metaphor for the move from humans to hybrids (Transhumanism).

Transodins birth (the performance)

Step 5:  Exploring the concept of transhumanism through artistic expression!

After revisiting images of my performance I choose some appropriate as starting points for future work. I still want to explore the concept of transhumanism. I continued and altered my images -digital- with the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals.

Previous examples of my work show a way how to explore (probably) any subject through artistic expressions. I will continue with this issue in order to show my progress in my next blog. I hope that everyone got some inspiration how to save the world through art 🙂 .  On this note…. All the best for now xx  Transodin