Alexandra Crouwers (NL)
The Closed Circuit, 2006
10:21
I made this film while reading the book ‘How The Mind Works’ by cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker. The book is a. o. about the idea of ‘module-thinking’, the analogies between computers and brains. I decided to use the book as input and my laptop as output. Then I made a 3D-model of my physical atelier in the virtual world of the laptop, while using the thinking-process (my brain) as a mental atelier. The connection between them was me (in my physical atelier), then my computermouse, then my laptop. The outcome is not a scientific work, but an accurate description of how the work itself evolved and the ‘loop’ I was working in. After about 8 minutes the screen turns dark, but then the image of my laptop rotating in my virtual atelier appears. A bit later this is followed by a nightshot-photograph of my atelier at the time of the production of the film. When in a loop projected this makes sure it is not completely clear where the loop begins or ends. The soundtrack is a loop from the first minute of an unknown Arabian 60’s musical epic.
[Alexandra Crouwers]
Biography
Alexandra Crouwers (1974), studied at the Academy of Arts & Design in the city of Den Bosch (NL) and the post-graduate Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam. In 2002 she moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where she studied Filmstudies & Imageculture at the university of this city. Next to making animations, she makes site-specific installations in which a variety of media are used, amongst which big (mural) drawings, light, projections and photography. Most of her work is inspired on literature, science, music and films. Besides working as a visual artist, she writes short stories and poems. She’s also a DJ.
Education
1998 graduated at Academy of Arts & Design, Den Bosch, NL
2001 graduated at Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, NL
2004-2005 Filmstudies & Imageculture, University of Antwerp, B
2002 starterstipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam, NL
2004 starterstipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam, NL
2005 basisstipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam, NL
Selected screenings
2000 Video Ex, Zürich
2004 Argosfestival, Brussels
2006 Galleri 54, Göteborg
2006 LUX, Nijmegen
2006 Suspicion of Beauty, London
2006 Messe Köln, Köln
2007 700IS, Reykjavik
2007 Transmediale, Berlin
2007 Impakt Festival, Utrecht
Selected exhibitions
2005 Netwerkgalerij, Aalst, B
2005 Kunsthuis Syb, Artist in Residency, Beetsterzwaag, NL
2005 TAG, The Hague, NL
2006 NICC Freespace, Museum Het Hessenhuis, Antwerp, B
2006 Factor 44, Antwerp, B
2006 Extra (sic), former ExtraCity, Antwerp, B
2007 CBK, Den Bosch, NL
2007 TAK, Eindhoven, NL
Coming up
2007 Base Alpha gallery, Antwerp, B
2007 FLACC, artist in residency, Genk, B
2008 Some of my best friends are animals, Minneapolis, USA