CEOs
In cooperation with Gerald Nestler
up-date, Künstlerhaus Wien, 2005.
RE-ACT, Nicolaj Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center, 2005.
CEOs is a series of video portraits that concentrate on a relevant but controversial 'group' of people: the executives and chairmen of large corporations, global players and economic interest groups. The idea is to shed light on and deconstruct a much discussed but still rather unknown 'territory': the central decision makers in a global world formed by economic interests and influence.
CEOs uses time based media and self-representation to define a new form of artistic portraiture in contrast to traditional static representation, media interviews and documentaries.
CEOs sets up a frame at the headquarters, a setting consisting of 2 cameras, in which the executives perform for 20 to 40min. The entire material is used without cutting the footage. 'Everything' is important even if 'nothing' happens. The participants create their own portrait showing conscious and unconscious actions and reactions, words and gestures. Constructing their presentation becomes an act of deconstruction in the process of self-representation.Leslie Sklair(1)speaks of a "transnational capitalist class" that has emerged and acts out an enormous influence on society. Far reaching decisions and developments not only concerning global economy but influencing social and even individual life are today developed and executed by leading representatives of large corporations with or without the help of politicians. Still, we are usually much more familiar with political representatives than with their counterparts behind companies, economic interest groups and lobbying agencies.
By entering and infusing itself into this 'realm', CEOs takes a closer look that is not deviated by marketing and PR strategies but focuses on some of these individuals that Sklair would possibly define as members of this newly developing transnational class.
(1) Leslie Sklair, The Transnational Class, Blackwell Publishers 2001
Participants (until January 2005)
Hannes Androsch, AT & S Holding, Austria
Steen Bjerre, Dyrup AS, Denmark
Ulrich H. Bode, vorm. Glaxo Wellcome, Austria
Peter Kotauczek, BEKO AG, Austria
Peter Lassen, Montana, Denmark
Anne Birgitte Lundholt, Danske Slagterier, Denmark
Martina Pecher, Inzersdorfer, Austria
Ejvind Sendal, Denmark
Jochen Werz, vorm. Lenzing AG, Austria
Norbert Zimmermann, Berndorf AG, Austria.
© 2012 Toni Kleinlercher
