Ode to Joy, 5’5”

STUDENT SECTION
Academy of Art in Szczecin, Faculty of Painting and New Media, Audiovisual and Performative Actions Studio
works made under the supervision of Dariusz Fodczuk
“What meaning is attributed to the famous Ode to Joy depending on the ideology one wishes to convey? The work entitled Ode to Joy 5’5” is a found footage combining archival materials and contemporary broadcasts. Ludwig van Beethoven’s piece – a symbol of triumph, happiness and unity – used to be performed by the Nazis, in the Soviet Union and in China, and nowadays it is the anthem of the European Union. Each of the great powers used it to propagate their ideology and views. The piece of music was exploited in order to build a symbolic capital that would later be transformed into symbolic violence and manifestations of power. The artist has managed to recreate the entire piece from found footages. Interestingly, all fragments are authentic – neither sound nor image has been processed for the needs of the work.”
H.M.
photo: Wojciech Chrubasik