Jun english | Jun Schaeffer

The German- Japanese artist Jun Schäffer locates himself close to the art of conception.

Sometimes he also uses a „objet trouvé“. His poetical and graceful installation of media are going to reveal a deeper sense if you let them in and take your time with it.

He studied Japanese theatre in Tokyo and film, television and media arts in Cologne. His history is based on themes which we do not recognize in the first place – or do not want to recognize?

Jun Schäffer

Jun Schäffer was born in 1964, he grew up in Cologne and Tokyo. He studied Japanese theatre at the Sophia University in Tokyo. Film, television and media arts he studied at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. Since 1996 he works as a free artist and director.

Exhibitions

Villahotel Rheinblick, Köln (2017)

LANDMANN-31, Galerie Display, Cologne/Germany (2016)

Kunstmeile Rodenkirchen, Cologne/Germany (2016)

Street Gallery, Cologne/Germany (2015)

Kunst im Carree, Cologne/Germany (2014)

Thalia, Bonn/Germany (2011)

Trinitatis Kirche, Cologne/Germany (1996)

Kölsche Akropolis/ Halle Tor 2, Cologne/Germany (1996)

Berdux-Hallen, Munich/Germany (1995)

Exhibition collaboration

„Meditazioni Mediterraneo“ Studio Azzurro – Roppongi Hills Gallery, Tokio/Japan (2003)

„vision.ruhr – Kunst, Medien, Interaktionen“ – Zeche Zollern II/IV, Dortmund/Germany (2000)

„Ll fuoco, l’acqua, l’ombra“ Studio Azzurro – Kunst und Ausstellungshalle, Bonn/Germany (1998)

„Introspektion“ Galerie Paszti-Bott („Impromptu“ Thomas F. Fischer), Cologne/Germany (1994)

„The artistic kind of style of my work takes the Conceptual Art and the minimalism into a form of media. Moving pictures and statues willful dominant superficial the surface. Although the pictures are always moving with 24 to 30 pictures per second, they seem to be calming arts. This is how orders are created with their own rulers. They produce a big impact with opposites like the time and timelessness, finitude and infinity. Thus concept and idea are in the foreground, which are to be considered equal in the artistic work. Aesthetic principles’ interactions of Occident and Japanese culture are being fathomed out. My work is calm and mediative. But also profane and playful.”
(Jun Schäffer)

Close to the concept art, the media installations of Schäffer is based on an idea, a concept, that is at least equal to it’s artistic execution. For this he occasionally makes use of an “objet trouvé”. He intensely devotes himself to his topics, explores any depth, considers from every angle. For reaching his final state of art, he collects the fitting notes and materials, sometimes even huge amounts, only to then delete it all again. Only the crystallized essence of his work stays. Solely the concentration on the crucial parts remains.

At first, the objects’ aesthetic look appears to turn them slightly poetic – pines, softly waving in the wind, the wide ocean, the tender fall of a cherry blossom leave.

A deeper look into the history behind the art will leave you touched by the story it tells. There are stories where we do not want to look, think, or even listen. You must take some time, show patience, and listen for a while. As shown in “mare”. Upon always the same sight of a seemingly idyllic blue sea, the soundtrack tells all else, to understand.

One might then understand, whence the vintage golden frame is really made out of. The golden surfaces, that partly cover the pines, link to the fog patches. These fog patches are often used in Japanese culture, to either connect or cloak different scenes in the story.

Being a German-Japanese artist, he connects both of these worlds. He consciously studies the interactions between occidental and japanese-oriental culture and their aesthetic interactions. ©2016 Text: Barbara Walser

Work of art

kin

matsu halbwertuhr

mare ginko

dom46

namiA + namiB

Altar

Activity for Stage-, Television- and Videoproductions

2006-2017 „Stunksitzung“ Bühnenshow, Köln (Gesamtkoordination + Co-Regie)

2006-2017 „Stunksitzung“ 90 Min. + 180 Min. Sendung WDR (Realisation)

2013 „30 Jahre Akademie för uns kölsche Sproch“ Gala in der Kölner Philharmonie (künstlerischer Leiter und Regie)

2013 „Akademie för uns kölsche Sproch“ PromoVideo für Stiftung Kultur Köln (Realisation)

2012 „Platanos de Canarias“ PromoVideo für EMC Gaia Consultoria de Comunicacion Madrid (Konzept + Realisation)

2011 ClickIt²“ Einspieler Bühne für Zartbitter e.V. (Storyboard)

2011 Ver.di Bundeskongress: „Kirche“ (Realisation), „Finanzkrise“ (Sprachregie), „Dienstleistung“ (Realisation) Einspielfilme für Hansen Kommunikation Köln

2010 „Respekt“ Wolfgang Nitschke (Realisation DVD/Videomarketing)

2010 „Click It²“ Bühne (Regieassistenz)

2010 „Todesstaub“ Dokumentation (Regiekonzept 90er Fassung)

2010 „Schieche – schön schräg“ (Realisation DVD)

2008-2012 „BÄM! Der Games Award“ – Gala/Preisverleihung für Computec AG (Regie)

2008 „3D Projekt“ für „Story Hotel“ Berlin (Drehbuchentwicklung)

2008-2010 „Phase 1“ + „Phase 2“ Blackbox Company, Köln (Mediale Betreuung)

2007 „Next“ mit Steve Blame – Pilotfolge (Formatentwicklung / Realisation)

2006 „Lavinia“ Dokumentation – für Croma TV, Hannover (Konzeption)

Regiearbeiten 2001-2006:

„Naturally 7“ PromoVidoe für EMI Deutschland (2006)

„Fiat/Blue & Me“Commercial b2b (2006)

„Ford/Nokia“Commercial b2b (2006)

„For Life“ Naturally 7, Musikvideo für EMI Japan (2006)

“Kim Wilde” EPK (2005)

“Naturally 7” EPK (2005)

“Maskerade” Werbung TV – b2c (2004)

„Badewelten“ Werbung TV – b2c (2003)

„Anders als man denkt“ (Kulturspeicher Würzburg, 45 Min.), Portrait Dieter Jung (2003)

„Online Music Awards 2002“

“New Order” The Palladium Concert (PopOnline, 120 Min) Konzertfilm (2002)

„Jon Spencer Blues Explosion“ (PopOnline, 125 Min.) Konzertfilm (2002)

„The Kelly Family“ (KelLife, 90 Min.) Konzertfilm (2002)

„World Of Reggae“ (Kingston, 8 Std.) Festivalfilm (2002)

„Die Firma“ (PopOnline, 90 Min.) Konzertfilm (2002)

„Aus ÖTV wird ver.di“ (Gewerkschaftsbund, 5 Min,) Imagefilm (2001)

„The Residents – Icky Flix Tour“ (PopOnline 100 Min.) Konzertfilm (2001)

„Beta Band“ (EMI Electrola, 95 Min.) Konzertfilm (2001)

„Sunkin“ (Müller, 5,30 Min.) Musikvideo (2001)

„Starsailor live“ (PopOnline, 95 Min.) Konzertfilm (2001)

„Fistfuck Hotel“ Transpunk/Belgien (Hautrecord, Belgien, 4 Min.) Musikvideo (2000)

POPKOMM TV für die Poponline GmbH (Köln) – 365 Tage Musikfernsehen im Internet. Eigenproduktionen (live + OnDemand) Reportagen, Interviews, Konzerte, Videoclips, Features, Magazine (2000-2003)

1999 Drehbuch und Regie bei dem Kurzfilm „Moll“ (mit Nina Petri, Paul Faßnacht, u.a.) gefördert durch das Filmbüro NW e.V.

außerdem

als Regieassistent:

„Köbes Classic“ (Regie: Elmar Herkenrath-Rundholz) für den WDR (2009+2012)

Jubiläumskonzert „25 Jahre Höhner“ (Regie: Nicole Klefisch) für den WDR (2008)

Kinofilm „Ode an die Freude“ (Regie: Masanobu Deme) für TOEI JAPAN (2005-2006)

Kurzfilm „Carrick Mor“ (Regie: Stéphane Tielemans) für X-Filme (2005)

als Cutter:

Doku „Tödlicher Staub“ (Kinofilm / 90 Min. / 2005)

Doku „La Enamorada“ (ChileTV / 51 Min. / 2005)

Doku „Der Arzt und die verstrahlten Kinder von Basra“ (WDR / 44 Min. / 2004)

Doku „Todesursache: Schweigen“ (WDR / 44 Min. / 2003)