Johan Grimonprez: Blue Orchids

Johan Grimonprez: filmscreening Blue Orchids (2017) + interview by Erik Viskil

Meet the international acclaimed artist Johan Grimonprez and learn about the international arms trade, greed and consciousness as something that comes about in community. His film essay dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y, presented at Documenta X in Kassel in 1997, eerily foreshadowed the tragic events of September 11th in New York. In Blue Orchids, Grimonprez creates a double portrait of two experts situated on opposite ends of the same issue—the global arms trade. The stories of Chris Hedges, a former New York Times war correspondent, and Riccardo Privitera, arms and equipment dealer for the now-defunct Talisman Europe Ltd, provide an unusual and disturbing context for shocking revelations about the industry of war. While interviewing Privitera and Hedges for Grimonprez’s recently released feature Shadow World (2016), it became clear that the two men were describing the same anguish and trauma, but from paradoxical perspectives. One has dedicated his life to unmasking lies, while the other has built his life on them.

Time: Start filmscreening: 11.00 / Interview with Johan Grimonprez by Erik Viskil and BEAR students: 11.45 – 13.30
Language: English spoken
Entrance: Free entrance, but restricted to ArtEZ students (NB remember to bring your student card)
Organisation: Cooperation with BEAR