[spectre] Press release: VideoChannel launches CologneOFF V

[CologneOFF]

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Press Release
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Today, on 13 November 2009, VideoChannel Cologne is happy to launch

CologneOFF V  - Taboo! Taboo?
5th Cologne Online Film Festival 2009
http://coff.newmediafest.org

online starting together with its 2009 festival partners
MICROWAVE - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong
13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009
and
FONLAD - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal
14 November 2009 - 03 January 2009

Earlier this year, Microwave Hong Kong invited VideoChannel to prepare two
shows of video art for the 2009 festival, resulting two outstanding screening programs as a networked action
--->
1.
"Memory & Identity"  - a show which was in September 2009 featured on VideoChannel
contributed by VisualContainer Milan  and curated by Giorgio Fideli
http://videochannel.newmediafest.org/blog/?page_id=278
celebrating the partnership between VideoChannel and Visual Container -
public screenings between 14 November until 24 November 2009 at I/O (Input/Output) Hong Komg
-->
2.
"Body and Soul - 15:15:15"  - a thematic presentation  - one of the very rare physical manifestations of
Agricola de Cologne (the encoded artist, chief curator of VideoChannel and director of CologneOFF)
and an original way to launch CologneOFF V in physical space
on 22 November 2009 at Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre Lecture Hall -
which was made possible through the generous support by Goethe Institute Hong Kong

For more info, please download the PDF -
http://downloads.nmartproject.net/videoCHANNEL_microwave2009.pdf

The second partner of VideoChannel in 2009 is FONLAD - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal
representing the framework for the 2nd  physical CologneOFF V manifestation
in the two days screenings on 24 amd 25 November 2009.

Read more about the festival partners on netMAXX - networked magazine
MICROWAVE - http://maxx.nmartproject.net/?p=94
FONLAD - http://maxx.nmartproject.net/?p=82

In December 2009, another CologneOFF manifestation is scheduled in Bristol/UK
and in February 2010 in India.

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About Cologne OFF V

Founded in 2006 by VideoChannel in the framework of [NewArtMedia ProjectNetwork]:||cologne,
the experimental platform for art and new media,
CologneOFF is realising in 2009 its 5th festival edition under the topic of "Taboo".

According to (wikipedia) "A taboo is a strong social prohibition or ban against words, objects, actions, or discussions considered undesirable or offensive to a group, culture, society, or community. Breaking a taboo, considered objectionable, abhorrent or unacceptable by the majority in a community by in engaging in activities or not adhering to local customs usually leads to severe penalties applied by rule of law. Other common reactions by persons breaking taboos result in embarrassment, shame and are commonly  considered by others as a sign of rudeness." 
In our Western socities "the taboo" changed its meaning profoundly and does actually not exist anymore as a dogma and an instrument of social and moral ruling, but it is replaced by a kind of individual "taboo" practiced by groups of mind-likes.  In this way, people can be confronted with different types of "taboos" depending on the needs of certain social groups.   The selected videos refer to this invidualization and take the artistic consequences in most different ways, whereby the digital technology  offers many solutions to the artists and the viewer. It is this variety, which makes the festival program so exciting and vivid. It  is up to the viewer to search and find his personal definition(s).

CologneOFF V consists of 5 program sections including
-->  50 shortfilms and videos in 3 international programs
--> a feature of 14 German art films/videos and
--> a selection of 14  One Minute Films made by the guest curator Ali Zaidi (London)
and contributed by MOTIROTI London

For more info about the festival and its films, please download the festival catalogue as PDF
--> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf

CologneOFF V can be accessed via the festival site on http://coff.newmediafest.org
or directly via - http://coff05.newmediafest.org/

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On occasion of  the CologneOFF V launch,
VideoChannel is releasing online "Feature II" of German Video Art
---> http://videochannel.newmediafest.org/blog/?page_id=709
Including viideos by the German artists/directors participating in CologneOFF V.

After Feature I, presenting the outstanding Cologne based video artist Johanna Reich,
Feature II is offering the diversity of digital video of 15 artist/directors.
Feature III, the next following focus on German video art is planned to be released in
January 2010.

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VideoChannel - video project environments
http://videochannel.newmediafest.org

CologneOFF - Cologne Online Film Festival
http://coff.newmediafest.org

MICROWAVE  - New Media Arts Festival Hong Kong
http://www.microwavefest.net

FONLAD - Digital Art Festival
http://www.fonlad,net
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media partner:
netMAXX - networked experience
http://maxx.nmartproject.net
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Thanks to
Goethe Institute Hong Kong
MICROWAVE Hong Kong
FONLAD Coimbra/Portugal
Motiroti London/UK
VisualContainer Milan/Italy
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powered by [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne
the experimental platform for art and new media from Cologne/Germany
http://www.nmartproject.net
and
Media/Art/Cologne
http://www.mediaartcologne.org
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info[at)nmartproject.net
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