Andrej Zdravič
Andrej Zdravič (born 2 February 1952 in Ljubljana) is a Slovenian independent filmmaker, sound and media artist. He was educated in Ljubljana, Algiers and Buffalo, receiving his BA (1975) and MA Degrees (1980) in Media Studies at the State University of New York, Buffalo. He was awarded a Slovenian Prešeren Foundation Award in 1999 and received an honorary award (Doctorate equivalent) for artistic achievement from University of Ljubljana in 2006.[1][2]
Andrej Zdravič | |
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Born | |
Nationality | Slovene |
Known for | Film Installation art Sound art |
Movement | Avant-garde cinema, Experimental film |
Biography
Zdravič is building a cinema style in which one can recognize the influences of Vertov, modern Jazz, Jonas Mekas, John Cage and Zen Buddhism. The camera, in author's hands, spontaneously reacts to the pulsating life stream... As if reality to which the camera is aimed at were "dictating" to the author the structure of the future work which is created in the process of mutual encounter‘ – Jovan Jovanovič, 1979.[3]
Zdravič has lived and worked in New York City in the years 1975–80 and in San Francisco during 1980–97. He was closely associated with the San Francisco Exploratorium, Museum of Science, Art & Human Perception, where he headed the Video Department and developed his video installation Water Waves-Time Horizon (Time-Horizon is a unique software controlled 8-channel audiovisual installation format), a permanent exhibit from 1993.
Zdravič’s works have been screened in over 150 one-man shows and presentations across USA and Europe; in retrospectives at the Anthology Film Archives (NYC), Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris), Cankar Centre / Slovenian Cinematheque (Ljubljana); in over 120 group shows and festivals, among others, in the United Arab Emirates, India, Brazil and Argentina, and broadcast on ARTE, KCET/PBS Los Angeles, ZDF, RAISAT, TV Slovenia – they were seen by more than 3 million viewers. Zdravič represented Slovenia at the World Expo ’98 in Lisbon and the Venice Biennale 1999.
In recent years, Zdravič’s significant body of work that has focussed on developing a unique cinematic form concentrating almost solely on audiovisual aspects of natural phenomena, has been cited in film theory publications examining the possibility of an ecocinematic form: Toward an Ecocinema by Scott MacDonald, 2004,[4] Framing the World: Explorations in Ecocriticism and Film by Paula Willoquet-Maricondi, 2010,[5] Ecocinema Theory and Practice (2012) edited by Stephen Rust, Salma Monani and Sean Cubitt [6]
Zdravič has taught at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and San Francisco State University and has been a Visiting Filmmaker at more than 30 others, including Stanford University, Royal College of Art London, Malmö University College, University College Falmouth in Cornwall, UK and the Academy of Fine Arts, Ljubljana.
Zdravič is the recipient of several awards, among others, the Western States Media Arts Fellowship, the National Science Foundation award (USA), and the Prešeren Fund Award (Slovenia, 1999).
In recent years Zdravič has been especially involved in an extensive feature film – sound and multi-screen installation project(s) – The Forest. The first realisation is The Forest – Time Triptych, 3-channel film, HD 5.1 sound installation. Camera, Editing, Sound Recording & Composition, Installation Concept and Development for this installation were all created by Zdravič. The Forest − Time Triptych is a permanent exhibit at the Triglav National Park Information Centre − Dom Trenta, Slovenia since 17 September 2011.
Filmography
All Films Film/Sound Producer, Writer, Director, Camera, Editing, Sound-Music Recording & Composition: Andrej Zdravi.
- Origin 2001 24’ sound 16mm/Betasp
- Obon 2001 6’ sound 16mm/Betasp
- Heartbeat 2000 9.5’ sound Betasp
- Riverglass (V steklu reke) 1997 41’ sound Betasp
- Tokyo Tsukiji 1994 13’ sound Betasp
- Ocean Beat 1990 60’ sound 16mm
- Restless 1987 12’ sound 16mm
- Kres (Bonfire) 1987 5’ sound 16mm
- Airborne 1987 10’ sound 16mm
- Air Trio 1985 18’ sound 16mm
- Anastomosis 1982 58’ sound 16mm
- Vsi Sveti (All Saints) 1981 5’ silent 16mm
- Vesuvio 1981 10’ silent 16mm
- Venezia 1981 7’ sound 16mm
- Currents 1979 13.5’ sound S-8mm/16mm
- Dom (Home) 1979 20’ sound S-8mm
- Via Sound 1978 24’ sound S-8mm
- New York Studies (I-V) 1977 37’ silent 16mm
- Breath 1976 7’ b&w sound 16mm
- Sunhopsoon 1976 7’ sound 16mm
- Carbon Arc 1975 8’ b&w sound 16mm
- Phenix 1975 14’ sound 16mm
- Waterbed 1974 5.5’ sound 16mm
- Camera Dances 1973 15’ sound S-8mm
Time Horizon video installations
The Time Horizon concept developed by Zdravič is a unique software controlled 8-channel audiovisual installation format.
- OCEAN LAVA 1999 30’ loop,
- SECRETS OF SOCA 1995–98 33’ loop
- WATER WAVES 1992–93 28’ loop
Selected commissions
- Nature and City 2006 15‘ sound hd/DVD
- Richard Serra at Oliver Ranch 1995 21’ sound Betasp
- Water Cycle 1994 14’ sound u-maticsp
- Extended Exploratorium 1990 14’ sound Betasp
- Microsurgical Transplantation (Vol. i-iv) 1982 110’ sound 16mm (produced with Harry J. Buncke, MD – the 'father of microsurgery)
- Present Status of Microsurgery in Hand Surgery 1981 29’ sound 16mm (produced with Harry J. Buncke, MD)
Screenings and exhibitions
Selected retrospectives
- Anthology Film Archives – a 3-day retrospective, New York City 2008
- Kinoteka (Slovenian Cinematheque) – Kino Integral, a 6-hour mini-retrospective, Ljubljana 2001
- Cankarjev Dom & Kinoteka – a 4-day retrospective, Ljubljana 1996
- Centre Georges Pompidou – a 3-day retrospective, Paris 1994
- Anthology Film Archives – a 2-day retrospective, New York City 1991
- Deutsches Filmmuseum – a 3-day retrospective, Frankfurt AM 1987
Permanent exhibitions
- National Museum of Natural Sciences – Water Waves, Taichung, Taiwan, from 1996–2005
- Kalamazoo Public Museum- Water Waves, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1996–2007
- Dom Trenta, Triglav National Park Inf. Center – Secrets of Soča -Time Horizon, Trenta, Slovenia, from 1995–present
- Exploratorium- Museum of Science, Art & Human Perception- Water Waves-Time Horizon, San Francisco 1993
- Obrazi Ljubljane – stalna razstava, (film-instalacija Narava & Mesto) Mestni muzej, Ljubljana 2007
References
- Andrej Zdravic Sound Vision of the World: sound films and installations (1974–1995), Cankarijev dom, Slovenian Cinemateque, 1996 ISBN 978-961-6157-02-5
- Ocean Lava Time Horizon catalogue, Dom Trenta, Triglav National Park Information Centre, 1999
- Jovan Jovanovič, Film kao prosvetljenje (Film as Enlightenment), Filmograf, Fall 1979
- Scott MacDonald (2004) Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment 2004 11(2):107–132; doi:10.1093/isle/11.2.107 © 2004 by Association for the Study of Literature and Environment Print ISSN 1076-0962
- Paula Willoquet-Maricondi (2010) Framing the World: Explorations in Ecocriticism and Film, University of Virginia Press, pp.50–54. ISBN 978-0-8139-3005-3
- Stephen Rust, Salma Monani and Sean Cubitt (2012) Ecocinema Theory and Practice, Routledge, Chapter 1, pp.9–15. ISBN 978-0-415-89942-0