Thomas Draschan
A New Hope
2016, Archival print on rag-paper
Continental Divide
2010, Video animation, 9 min 44 sec
Freude
2009, Video animation, 2 min 5 sec
Thomas Draschan’s work speaks to us in a lexicon of found footage, cut-up DADA-style, and re-imagined into an absurdist analysis of our cultural fixations, reconfigured into the imagination of a better world. Drawing on a treasure trove of imagery from popular culture, with references to history and philosophy, Draschan imbues his deceptively quirky imagery with a complex depth of narrative, for those who wish to dive deep to see it.
Artist Statement
A New Hope is from a series of Collages that incorporate people who have become icons of popular culture. Andy Warhol has used Sigmund Freud’s image, as have many artists, from the surrealists till now. I am less playing with Freud’s ideas here, but with the public persona and kitchen psychology that Freud is standing for.
Nonetheless I highly recommend reading his writings first hand.
Continental Divide is an exploration of ritual as such. Unlike my other film work, it is extremely slow paced. a syncretistic meta-religious series of images in dreamlike transformation.
Freude is a film trying to mimic a visual orgasm. It’s trying to have sex with your retina.
Bio
After studying theater and journalism in Vienna, Thomas Draschan studied film at the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main and at the Cooper Union in New York. He worked on numerous film projects, was managing director of the Hessian film office and director of the 1st International Film Festival in Frankfurt. His film, To The Happy Few (2003), was awarded the Hessian Film Prize.