Biedermann is an Austrian mixed-media artist, filmmaker, painter and performer, who has been in politics since the 1970’s, standing up for women- and lesbian rights. In her art, she also works with queer and feminist themes. On her last visit to Budapest, she presented her art during the exclusive Super8 Festival organised by Balázs Béla Studio and Toldi Art Cinema. This time as part of the LGBT History Month, she is showing a selection of her films as well as her performace that premiered last year in Berlin at the SoToDo International Performance-Art-Kongress. Biedermann makes the heavy topics lighter with her elegant cabaret-style humour.
Who is Biedermann?
Biedermann is a queer-feminist visual artist and activist. She is a committed fighter of emancipation and equal rights for women and all queer people. She thinks in every liveable democracy intervention with action should be a given right, as part of this, she believes every artist should not only be able to perform their art, but also be given the platform of publicity. She does not consider herself as an art expert and lets her audience make their own judgement about her work.
Biedermann is an independent artist in front of as well as behind the camera who had enough of the culture where the men sitting comfortably behind the cameras can openly objectify women. She not only questions traditional men-women roles in society and classical ideas of femininity and masculinity in her art, but also helps lesbian and queer communities be seen and protests with her personality and the continuity of her work for more than 40 years.
Roleplay, especially in redifining societal gender roles play an undeniably huge big part in her visual art. She shares her thoughts on this in an interview with Nina Schedlmayer in 2007:
Changing roles, making fun of stereotypes is always very interesting (...) I enjoy playing with clichés as it can break us free from classic gender roles like how women belong in the home (private life), where they cannot escape from.
Performance at the LMBT History Month - What is this about?
We think that when fighting for equal rights, it is essential that women and lesbian lives are seen. When awareness is crucial, Biedermann stands as a role model and an inspiration. Attend the performance, be dissatisfied, but open, and let her speak to you. Be inspired to organise something for next year’s LGBT History Month!
Practical information:
Christa Biedermann: “fear-less?” live performance with films
Venue: Auróra
Date: 2018. February 28. 8:00 pm
This event is part of the LGBT History Month, and was founded by the Austrian Cultural Forum and the Labrisz Lesbian Association.
Translated by Dóra Bajnóczi
