Videorebellen

Temporary artist group featuring Klaus vom Bruch, Rune Mields, Marcel Odenbach and Ulrike Rosenbach.

Klaus vom Bruch
b 1952 in Cologne (D); 1975–76 studied at the Californian Institute of the Arts, Valencia (USA), then studied Philosophy at the Universität Köln (Cologne University); since 1975, work with video, initally as video tape, but since the mid-1980s especially in installations; since 1992 various positions as Professor for Media Art, Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe and at present at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich; he lives and works in Cologne and Munich (D).
vom Bruch belongs to a generation of artists who became known in the 1970s with their video works without exploring other artistic genres first. His close friendship with Ulrike Rosenbach and Marcel Odenbach helped to develop a «video scene,» in Cologne that was exemplary for Germany, documented in their ATV-Studio. His topics refer to the relationship with the post-war German society, with its past as well as present, by recycling «found footage» from the «televised archive.» Since 1985 he has mainly worked with video installations.

Rune Mields
b 1935 in Münster (D). Since 1970 she has worked as a freelance artist; participated in the «Videorebellen.» She lives in Cologne (D).

Marcel Odenbach
b 1953 in Cologne (D); 1974–79 studied architecture, art history and semiotics at the Technische Hochschule, Aachen (Dipl. Ing); late 1970s started video work with tapes and installations, performances and drawings; 1992–98 professor at the Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe (D); lives and works in Cologne (D).

Ulrike Rosenbach
b 1943 Bad Salzdetfurth; 1964-69 studied sculpture at the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf; master-class student under Joseph Beuys; 1972 first videotapes and since then continuous work with video in tapes, installations and performances; from 1989 professor of new art media at the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar, Saarbrücken; lives and works near Cologne.
Ulrike Rosenbach is the most renowned international video artist from Germany working with videotapes, installations and performances. She was one of the first artists in Germany to not only use video for documentation purposes but for experiments with the electronic image. Her videotapes were highly successful in their critique of the traditional representation of women. They helped to formulate an identity of women from a feminist perspective. For her, video is «not burdened with art history like painting.» With Klaus vom Bruch and Marcel Odenbach she formed the independent production group AT, exploring «alternative television» in various ways.