Bjørn Melhus is a German artist of Norwegian ancestry known for experimental short films, videos and installations.
Education
Bjørn Melhus studied photography at the Adolf-Lazi-Schule in Stuttgart German from 1985 to 1987. After completing his technical education, Melhus went on to study film and video at HBK Braunschweig School of Arts, Braunschweig Germany from 1990 until graduating in 1997. During his time in Braunschweig, Melhus took part in the European Media Artist in Residence Exchange through the EMARE-Program in Budapest, Hungary (1996).[1] After completing his education Melhus went on to additional residency programs at the California Institute for the Arts, Los Angeles through a DAAD Fellowship (1997–1998), Prize of the Art Association, Hanover (2000), the International Studio & Curatorial Program, ISCP, New York (2001–2002),[2] the Kyoto Art Center, Japan (2005), Civitella Ranieri, Italy (2006) and Goethe Institute Mexico City (2009).[3]
Work
In his works Bjørn Melhus focuses on general global ideas and themes and the direct effects they have on people. Many works find their inspiration from the tension between freedom and violence or repression. Melhus uses footage from film, video and television excessively and deconstructs stereotypical themes, figures and patterns of perception through means of exaggeration. At the same time, he breaks up a seemingly fixed relationship between media and audience, thus opening up the view on the essentials of human interaction. In his work he has developed a singular position, expanding the possibilities for a critical reception of cinema and television. His practice of fragmentation, destruction, and reconstitution of well-known figures, topics, and strategies of the mass media opens up not only a network of new interpretations and critical commentaries, but also defines the relationship of mass media and viewer anew. Melhus embodies all roles by himself as if he reflects "our character as something forced upon us by external relations of media and power, regardless of who we are".[4]
Originally rooted in an experimental film context, Melhus's work has been shown and awarded at numerous international film festivals. He has held screenings at Tate Modern and the LUX in London, the Museum of Modern Art (MediaScope) in New York, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, amongst others. His work has been exhibited in shows like The American Effect at the Whitney Museum New York, the 8th International Istanbul Biennial, solo and group shows at FACT Liverpool, Serpentine Galleries London, Sprengel Museum Hanover, Museum Ludwig Cologne, ZKM Karlsruhe, Denver Art Museum among others.
Since 2003, Bjørn Melhus has been a professor for Fine Arts and Virtual Realities at the Kunsthochschule Kassel, Germany.[5]
Bjørn Melhus has been living and working in Berlin since 1987.
Videos/installations (selection)
1986 TOAST/ CORNFLAKES
1990 AMERICA SELLS
1991 DAS ZAUBERGLAS (THE MAGIC GLASS)
1991 ICH WEISS NICHT, WER DAS IST (I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS)
1993 JETZT (NOW)
1993 REINIGUNGSKASSETTE (CLEANING TAPE)
1995 WEIT WEIT WEG (FAR FAR AWAY)
1997 BLUE MOON (video/ installation)
1997 NO SUNSHINE
1997 OUT OF THE BLUE
1998 ARRIVAL DEPARTURE – DEPARTURE ARRIVAL
1998 AGAIN AND AGAIN
1999 SILVERCITY 1+2
2000 GOOD MORNING NEW WORLD
2001 WEEPING
2001 PRIMETIME
2001 THE ORAL THING
2002 SOMETIMES (FIRE IN ZERO GRAVITY)
2002 DIE UMGEKEHRTE RÜSTUNG (THE INVERSED ARMORY)
2003 AUTO CENTER DRIVE
2003 I'M YOUR TV
2003 STILL MEN OUT THERE
2003 FIGHTING THE FORCES OF EVIL
2004 HAPPY REBIRTH
2005 CAPTAIN
2005 BEHIND THE MOON, BEYOND THE RAIN
2005 EASTERN WESTERN PARK
2007 EMOTION FIELD #1
2007 POLICIA
2007 THE CASTLE
2007 99 FLOORS
2007 THE MEADOW
2007 THE CITY
2008 Murphy
2008 DEADLY STORMS
2008 I-MAN U-MAN
2008 SCREENSAVERS
2008 DEADLY STORMS 333
2008 OMEN
2009 CRITICAL SYSTEM ALERT
2009 SCENERY MARS
2009 SLOGAN SERIES
2009 RANDOM SUPERHEROES
2009 MARS RECOVERY
2009 BEAGLE III
2009 HECHO EN MEXICO
2009 TREEHOUSE #1, #2 & #3
2010 CENTER OF THE WORLD
2010 AFTERLIFE
2010 NIGHTWATCH | NACHTWACHE
2011 I'm Not the Enemy
2010 I DO NOT BELONG IN THIS HOUSE
2010 THIS IS MY HOME
2011 DAS BADEZIMMER
2011 99 EUROS
2012 SUDDEN DESTRUCTION
2013 HAUSER
2013 HEAVEN
2013 LIBERTY PARK
2014 HEADHUNTER
2014 MAESTRA
2014 FREEDOM & INDEPENDENCE
2015 THE THEORY OF FREEDOM
Awards
1992 Young artist award, Videofest Berlin
1992 Special Video Art Award, Marl
1992 Video Art Award, Bremen
1994 Kubo-Award, Bremen
1998 Video Art Award, Marl, Germany
1998 Prix Elida -Fabergé, Munich, Germany
1998 2nd Award, Transmediale Berlin
1998 Prize of the German Filmcritics, EMAF, Osnabrück, Germany
1998 NEW VISIONS VIDEO 1998, Long Beach Museum of Art, (Production Grant)
1998 Certificate of Merit, San Francisco International Film Festival
1998 Förderpreis Film des Landes Niedersachsen, Germany
2000 Honor "The special show" by the International Art Critics Association, Museum Schloß Hardenberg, Velbert
