- Performances

STATEMENT
C.V.

VIDEOGRAPHY: Art video

HYDRA
Beta SP, Digital D3 mastering, V.S. Video / Forum Ljubljana & VPK, Ljubljana 1993, 16'
Script & Dir Ema Kugler
Cast Mojca Dimec, Marko Kovačič, Jelena Markovič, Marko Mlačnik, Sanja Neškovič, Barbara Novakovič, Sinja Ožbolt, Andrej Rozman Roza, Sebastjan Starič
Camera Andrej Lupinc & Samo Podobnik, Izidor Farič
Comp. Anim. Suzana Kogoj
Music Goran Majcen
Edit Neven Korda
Sets Ema Kugler
Costumes Ema Kugler

Mythology in the video works by Ema Kugler is inscribed in rituals of everyday life; this time it is the theme of Hydra with many facets. The theme is represented by the separate scenes featuring human figures in leather costumes (created by the artist herself) that constrain their movements, thus emphasising their separation from nature.
The last trace of their respective connection is shown in a ritual relationship between a man and a bull, although even this relationship involves man's deeply ingrained cruelty towards animals. But even this connection ends with the blood that symbolically floods the video image.

OBISKOVALEC / THE VISITOR
Beta SP, Digital D3 mastering, V.S. Video / Forum Ljubljana, VPK & Viba film, Ljubljana 1995, 27'
Script & Dir Ema Kugler
Cast Aljoša Arko, Goran Bogdanovski, Damjan Cavazza, Mojca Dimec, Fredi Fontanot, Tomaž Gubenšek, Janez Habič, Aljana Hajdinjak, Katjuša Kovačič, Barbara Novakovič, Ivan Peternelj, Neda R. Bric, Rebeka Radovan, Andrej Rozman - Roza, Lana Razpotnik, Žiga Saksida, Sebastjan Starič, Igor Sviderski, Janez Škof, Borut Veselko, Tanja Zgonc
Camera Mirko Simić & Izidor Farič, Samo Podobnik
Comp. anim Suzana Kogoj
Music Goran Majcen
Edit Iztok Šuc
Sets Ema Kugler
Costumes Ema Kugler

The artist insists on the duality of human nature: the same dreadfulness is part of both the mythical and the real world. The
duality is explicitly presented by means of
electronic effects that can petrify a human face,
or wall-up a human body in a few seconds. Human
figures dressed in extravagant costumes are
returned back to nature by means of electronic
effects: a man in a costume reminiscent of a bird
transforms into a real bird. The costumed and real
birds are accentuated by the bird's eye view, which
always emphasises man's smallness and forlornness
in his own world and within nature.

TAJGA / TAIGA
Beta SP, Digital D5 Mastering, Forum Ljubljana & VPK, Ljubljana 1996, 8'
Script & Dir Ema Kugler
Cast Goran Bogdanovski, Manca Dorer, Mihaela Klarič, Marko Kovačič, Andrej Lutman, Jonika Marflak, Katja Martinc, Jana Menger, Živa Poglavšek, Brane Potočan, Silva Ros, Sebastjan Starič & Rebeka Radovan
Camera Izidor Farič
Music Goran Majcen
Edit Neven Korda
Sets Ema Kugler
Costumes Ema Kugler

Taiga is a dark video landscape with human figures in menacing costumes, but it also includes two almost naked fighters and a drowning woman. Wax dogs add to the coldness of the video taiga; they actually melt away, while the electronic effect only serves to accelerate the process. The essence of taiga is the act of destruction, or transition. The destruction of art form creates a new, entirely different pattern. The transition becomes an event with a message. Sculptures are the landmarks of
the beginning and of the end.

POSTAJA 25 / STATION 25
Beta SP, Digital D5 Mastering, Forum Ljubljana & VPK, Ljubljana 1997, 30'
Script & Dir Ema Kugler
Cast Blaž Bertoncelj, Manca Dorer, Janez Habič, Primož Jeza, Mihaela Klarič, Suzana Koncut, Andrej Lutman, Jonika Marflak, Katja Martinc, Jana Menger, Sanja Neškovič, Una Lara Pečovnik, Ivan Peternelj, Andreja Podlogar, Živa Poglavšek, Brane Potočan, Sebastjan Starič, Janez Škof & Metoda Zorčič
Camera Izidor Farič
Comp. Anim. Stanka Brljević, Janez Ferlan, Suzana Kogoj, Oskar Mohar
Music Goran Majcen
Edit Neven Korda
Sets Ema Kugler
Costumes Ema Kugler

The artist continues with her main preoccupations: the relationship between a man and a woman, the irruption of the mythical into the rituals of everyday life. The video film uses the numerous potentials of electronic manipulation of the picture. The finest scenes are those of `morphing' (electronic transformation), where a figure from a painted
canvas turns into an identical figure on the video screen, or the latter `freezes' into a figure on a fixed picture. The artist once again insists on the real natural environment, but deforms and thus identifies it with the artificiality of video image.

PROJECTS

Performances

1985
Nostalgični izrez / Nostalgic Cut (with Jane Štravs & Nada Vodušek), Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom > Galerija Škuc

1987
Party, Ljubljana, Festivalna dvorana

1988
Črna jama / Black Cave, Postojna cave

1990
Replikanti / Replicants, Ljubljana, Nebotičnik
Nelagodje pred podobo v ogledalu / Uneasiness in front of the Mirror (with Bojan Štokelj & Marko Košnik), Nova Gorica, Bunker

1991
Mankurt 1, Ljubljana, the old power plant

1992
Mankurt 2, Ljubljana, the old power plant

1995
Tajga / Taiga, Ljubljana, Vižmarje warehouse

1996
Postaja 25 / Station 25, Ljubljana, Vižmarje warehouse

1998
Menhir, Ljubljana, Vižmarje warehouse > Cankarjev dom

Festivals & screenings

1985
I. Biennal de Produccions Culturals Juvenils de l'Europa Mediterranea, Barcelona

1986
B'Biennale, Thessaloniki

1989
DOS, Ljubljana, Likovno razstavišče Rihard Jakopič

1993
Hydra, Slovensko mladinsko gledališče, Ljubljana -- 3. Video Film Dance Festival, Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom

1994
Alpe Adria Cinema, Trieste, Teatro Miela -- Slovenački video danas, Belgrade, Bitef teatar -- 9. Film Video monitor, Gorizia, Kulturni dom -- From Alternative Scene to Art Video: Video Production in Slovenia (1992-1994), Rijeka, Moderna galerija > Maribor, Media Nox > Ljubljana, KUD France Prešeren > Skopje, Muzej na sovremenata umetnost > Udine (Videokids '94), Sala Video Cinema Ferroviario > Portogruaro -- 22. Filmfestival der Nationen, Ebensee, Kino Ebensee

1995
Mesto žensk, Ljubljana, Kinoteka -- Ostranenie 95, Dessau, Bauhaus -- From Alternative Scene to Art Video: Video Production in Slovenia (1992-1994), Moscow, Centre for Contemporary Arts > St. Peterburg, Soros Center for Contemporary Arts - St. Petersburg -- Obiskovalec, Ljubljana, Slovensko mladinsko gledališče (premiere) -- 5. slovenski filmski maraton, Portorož, Avditorij

1996
Najnowsza sztuka video ze Slowenii, Centrum Sztuki Wspolczesnej - Zamek Ujazdowski, Warsaw -- Alpe Adria Cinema, Trieste, Cinema Excelsior -- Videoformes 96, Clermont-Ferrand, Maison des Congrés, Salle Multimedia -- From Alternative Scene to Art Video: Video Production in Slovenia (1992-1994), Los Angeles, CalArts > LACE Gallery -- 24. Festival der Nationen, Ebensee, Kino Ebensee -- Senzatitolo Eventi, Azioni, Esposizioni, Rovereto, Auditorium R. Zandonai -- Cybersalon akvarij, Celje, Likovni salon Celje -- Trnfest, Ljubljana, KUD France Prešeren -- Pepelkova - Gromki festival, Ljubljana, Metelkova -- Študentski kulturni dnevi, Ljubljana, Kinoteka -- 6e Mondial de la video 18e Festival International du Film Super 8 et Video, Brussels, Centre culturel Jacques Franck -- 11th Videobrasil - Electronic Art International Festival, Sao Paulo, SECS Pompeia, Centro Cultural Sao Paulo -- Videomedeja 96 - 1. međunarodni video samit, Novi sad, Novosadsko pozorište -- 5e Biennale Internationale du Film sur l'Art, Paris, Centre Georges Pompidou

1997
6. slovenski filmski maraton, Portorož, Avditorij Portorož -- Interstanding 2, Tallinn, Eesti Kunstakadeemia > Tartu, Eesti Rahva Museum -- 3. Sarajevo film festival, Sarajevo, Kinoteka BH -- Iskanje izgubljenega časa, 15 let Forumove video produkcije, Ljubljana, Slovenska kinoteka -- LUR, Sarajevo, Euro Club -- Maraton ne samo en dan slovenskega ženskega filma in videa (Mesto žensk), Ljubljana, Slovenska kinoteka -- Videoteka Mesta žensk, Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom -- Fiat - festival internacionalnog alternativnog teatra, Podgorica, Dom omladine Budo Tomović, pozorište Dodest -- Videospotting (European Cultural Month), Ljubljana, Klub Metropol -- 19e Festival International de Films de Femmes, Creteil, Maison des Arts -- 12. Film Video Monitor, Gorizia, Kulturni dom -- Klagenfurt, Universität Klagenfurt -- Videomedeja 97 - 2. međunarodni video samit, Novi Sad, Novosadsko pozorište -- Ostranenie '97, Dessau, Bauhaus

1998
Iskanje izgubljenega časa, 15 let Forumove video produkcije, Maribor, Pekarna > Koper, Mladinski kulturni center > Postojna, Mladinski kulturni delovni center > Črnomelj, Mladinski kulturni klub > Železniki, Kulturno društvo Rov Železniki > Krško, Atrij Valvasorjeve hiše -- Transmediale 98, 11th Videofest, Berlin, Podewil -- 1. festival slovenskega filma / 25. pregled slovenske filmske kreativnosti, Portorož, Avditorij -- Festival of Central European Culture, Avant-garde Films and Videos from Central Europe, London, The Lux Centre -- Exponto 97/98 - 5th International Multimedia Festival, Ljubljana, KUD France Prešeren > Sarajevo, Kinoteka BiH -- 16th World Wide Video Festival, Amsterdam, Melkweg > 12th Videobrasil Electronic Art International Festival, Sao Paulo, SECS Pompeia, Centro Cultural Sao Paulo