[spectre] (fwd) anarchive n°4 Jean Otth

[Andreas Broeckmann]

From: anne-Marie Duguet <am.duguet at laposte.net>
Subject: anarchive n°4 Jean Otth
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:06:35 +0100


The last title of the « anarchive » series 
dedicated to Jean Otth's ¦uvre is published.

Jean Otth Š on the Council of Nicea
anarchive n°4

publisher : Anarchive, 2007 
<mailto:contact at anarchive.net>contact at anarchive.net 
<http://www.anarchive.net>www.anarchive.net

bilingual : English / French       

                      <http://www.jeanotth.net>www.jeanotth.net


In accordance with the principle of the Anarchive 
collection, of which this is the fourth title, 
"Jean Otth ... on the Council of Nicea" is all at 
once an original creation, as well as a database 
of his work.
This DVD-ROM is the annotated catalogue of his 
video works. Although Jean Otth is one of the 
pioneers of video art in Switzerland, he has also 
worked with other media as well, such as 
painting, photography, and the computer. These 
other works are presented here.

After studying art history and philosophy at the 
University of Lausanne, Jean Otth attended the 
art school of Lausanne. From then on, his 
artistic trajectory, still influenced by the 
practice of painting, became closely tied to the 
emergence of new technologies. He is one of the 
pioneers of video art in Switzerland in the early 
1970's, and his works were soon seen in numerous 
exhibitions both in Switzerland and abroad (for 
instance Dokumenta 6 in Kassel). In the 1980's he 
began to employ the computer in his works, not 
only for its instrumental possibilities, but for 
its aesthetic dimensions as well. Jean Otth 
taught at the Cantonal Art School of Lausanne 
from 1979 to 2002.
Today he pursues a work that mixes the real and 
the virtual and explores their interaction. This 
is accomplished through the creation of 
installations, often including the projection of 
images on objects. While constantly questioning 
the media that he uses, and at times even takes 
as a subject matter, Jean Otth produces 
borderlines works that test the observer and 
provoke desire through covering-up, reframing, 
and shifting. The spectator is thus invited to 
participate in sensitive, singular experiments in 
which the figure is threatened with disappearance 
- where that which can be represented is but a 
question.

"Jean Otth     ....on the Council of Nicea" is composed of two dvds.
A DVD video, playable on any dvd player, contains 
20 of the artist's videos (in their totality and 
excerpts).
A DVD-ROM (for Mac or PC) that enables access, in 
an interactive way, not only to the videos (60 
pieces), but also to filmed documentation of the 
video installations (28 pieces), as well as a 
significant body of visual documentation of works 
realized in other media (930 reproductions).
Thirteen short video pieces, created especially 
for this project, illustrate the different 
problematics that run through the work of Jean 
Otth, such as mimesis, electronic disturbance, 
obliteration, projection, tautology. Finally, a 
selection of the artist's writings, as well as 
numerous critical texts about his work, are 
accessible in this database, and are in printable 
form (57 texts).

Author and artistic director:  Jean Otth
Editorial and scientific direction:  Anne-Marie Duguet, Paris
Programming and interactive concept:  Marc 
Göring "Electron Libre", Lausanne and Adrien Cater
Graphic concept:  Werner Jeker, "Les Ateliers du Nord", Lausanne
Authors of the texts:  René Berger, Edmond 
Charrière, Anne-Marie Duguet, Lysianne 
Léchot-Hirt, Geneviève Loup, Michel Thévoz, Jörg 
Zutter, Jean Otth
Translation:  Douglas Parsons
Sound: Christian Pahud

This DVD-ROM was produced thanks to private 
patronage and the support of Pro Helvetia swiss 
arts council,  the Cultural Fund of the City of 
Lausanne, the Canton of Vaud, and the Vaud 
Academic Society.
The Center for Contemporary Images- St. Gervais 
in Geneva, and AktiveArchive in Bern both 
participated in the production of this work.


price : 39 ¤       ISBN 978-2-9518132-1-2



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