Marianna CHRISTOFIDES

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Marianna CHRISTOFIDES

Participating Program	Exchange Residency Program (Creators from abroad)
Activity Based	Berlin
City	Tokyo
Period	2023.9-2023.11

Purpose of the residency

Growing from my interest in how abrupt and disastrous forces become a trigger for generative energy release, I will be looking diachronically and trans-disciplinarily into microforms of resilience, insular spirits of struggle and lone visionaries. What common denominator can volcanology, rituals pacifying mountain spirits, the birth of an island, a sea contaminated by mercury, poetry, women’s movements and farming on radioactive land as a lifelong form of protest share? In cinematic, sculptural, essayistic and performative ‘exercises’ I will continue observing expressions of fortitude in relation to long-lasting social and environmental ‘aftershocks’ following calamitous events that haunt times of supposed calm.

Plan during the residency

• Material and archival research, and conduction of interviews
• 16mm filming/ on-site field recordings
• Collaboration with scientists, activists, artists, and craftsmen
• Open studio/ artist talk
• Presentation of the fifth variation of the ongoing film lecture performance “exercises in becoming uncertain”

Activities during the residency

During my residency at TOKAS, I engaged with post-disaster ethical forms of (artistic) expression, as made manifest, for instance, in works of literature, film, and photography in the aftermath of the Minamata Disease. In this context, I researched and filmed different forms of peripheric, small-scale manifestations of resilience, care, dedication and devotion. Moreover, I continued my collaboration with earthquake scientists, volcanologists and engineers in Tokyo.

Outcome of the residency

During the residency the years-long research in Japan that had begun in 2018 and diverse collaborations with scientists, activists and artists – existing and new – were deepened and established. Furthermore, additional filming on 16mm of new episodes was realized. The most impressive episode during the residency is when, upon our initiative, an old seismograph that had been dormant for the last forty years was finally brought to life after weeks of trials with earthquake scientists and engineers.
Regarding the future, I hope for a comprehensive presentation of my works related to the city and the country soon.

Creator Information