"Thoughts are free"
This single channel video installation reflects on the relations between different countries – EU members – on the level of languages. These relations however, represent also some other problems; they talk about how people from different European countries observe the others; what sort of relations are created on the governmental level; to which extent relation of power create the way people observe their belonging to any community; how it causes the way they build their collective identities.
The video addresses the lack of linguistic exchange between Austria and its so-called “ former eastern European ” neighbours. The borders have been open for years, but even now hardly any Austrians speak these languages. In the video the texts of four people speaking Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, and Slovenian are cut apart and reconstructed into the German phrase “ Die Gedanken sind frei ”. This technical trick is an ironic comment on the situation, especially because “ Thoughts Are Free ” is often associated to liberation movements - which re/uniting Europe was considered to be.
Gerda Lampalzer works since 1980 as the executive of the Medienwerkstatt Wien. She has since 1987 a teaching assignment for applied arts in Wien, she as active professionally as media artist, lecturer and curator.
Her films and photographs are focussed on production and/or composition. The topics of her works are sourced in biographies with references to economic, culture and medias. She transforms the raw material by mental and materialistic manipulation.
Gerda Lampalzer - Oficial Site
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/ My european story
…These relations however, represent also some other problems; they talk about how people from different European countries observe the others…
How I found out that I am European
In the Eighties I travelled through Peru and Ecuador and met a lot of people from all over the world, amongst them also Australians. One day the discussion went over the problems of AIDS, as I remember. We had intense political debates as one of the Australians suddenly said: "You are European, you always have this sophisticated arguments." So I found out what it means to be European.