Stoffwechsel © 2004

video by Gerald Zahn + Anita Land

Dancers:
Verena Brückner | Doris Jauschowetz | Raluca Jacono-Muntean
Music:
barbarella plüsch (Gernot Scheithauer | Georg Schmelzer-Zieringer | Alexander Wallner)

STOFFWECHSEL* – a film by Gerald Zahn + Anita Land
* In the German language the word for metabolism is “STOFFWECHSEL“; this word allows for various interpretations and it is this word-play which the artists are using for the title and realization of their project. STOFF is the word for matter but at the same time the word for fabric/cloth. WECHSEL is the word for change/alteration and can be used in different contexts. Therefore, in the translated text the word STOFFWECHSEL has been retained with a short word for word translation in parathensis when needed for understanding.

At an abstract site 3 dancers exchange, in a fluid and playful way, everything they are wearing.
Behind the obvious act of “taking off“ and “putting on“ the film alludes to the pleasures of sharing and exchanging of identities.

Collective clothing exchanges were in fashion in Hamburg in the 90’s. Due to the quickly changing fashion trends, “stoff-wechsel“ (change of clothing) parties were organized during which the discarded trophies of past shopping sprees were exchanged. In this way, some pieces of clothing experienced a re-birth.
According to rumor and unreliable, handed-down graphics, parties of this type took place during the time of the Sun King, Louis XIV; these were, however, solely for erotic and social amusement.

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STOFFWECHSEL – Ein Film von Gerald Zahn + Anita Land

Im Film „Stoffwechsel“ tauschen drei Tänzerinnen fließend und spielerisch ihre gesamte Kleidung aus. Hinter dem offensichtlichen Akt des Aus- und Anziehens zielt der Fokus auf das lustvolle Teilen und Tauschen von Identität.

Kollektiver Kleidertausch war schon im Hamburg der 90er Jahre in Mode gekommen. Wegen der schnell wechselnden Modetrends veranstaltete man Stoffwechselpartys, bei denen man die ausrangierten Trophäen eines vorangegangenen Kaufrausches tauschte. So manches Stück Stoff erfuhr so eine Wiederbelebung.

Laut Gerüchten und bildlichen Überlieferungen sollen Partys dieser Art schon zur Zeit von Sonnenkönig Ludwig XIV stattgefunden haben, dienten damals jedoch ausschließlich dem erotisch – gesellschaftlichen Zeitvertreib.

Stoffwechsel film stills + making of [slideshow]