Wild@heART or the art of staying young

2014 AUT/E/I/ D 60 min,

 

THE TREATMENT
The film Wild@heART presents courageous artists in their golden age – finding themselves, creatively speaking, on the climax of their lives in the third phase. Their artistic work is to be seen as an audacious provocation in the face of a society that worships youth and beauty.
What is it exactly that excites artists like Inge Dick, Waltraut Cooper, Malcolm Poynter, Maria Moser, Bodo Hell, Jack Ink, Alois Nimmervoll or the gallery owner Nick Treadwell? Does art keep us young? Are people who keep working into old age more agile, active and powerful? And does our society deal with art and old age?

 

THE MOTIVATION
According to Joseph Beuys, art opposes the suffering of getting old by means of provocation. The protagonists of „Wild@heART or the art of staying young“ consider their lives as a work of art and art itself as the most important source their autonomy. Art and culture is their daily bread – a philosophy that can be true for everybody, not only for artists. A form of living that wears out only when life ends. But until then, these protagonists are creatively unresting and constantly active. Old age – merely a superficial form of appearance. This unbroken enthusiasm for life itself shall electrify the audience and put in question their own way of living.

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PERSONAL STATEMENT
People grow older, but art can keep the mind growing – a statement that I saw confirmed in my protagonists’ youthful minds. And Joseph Beuys‘ exclamation that „everyone is an artist“ is not restricted to any age group.
The film „Wild@heART or the art of staying young“ is an open provocation of a society that overemphasises youth and beauty. Most notably, this film is about the value of culture and spirituality of a generation that keeps creatively active into old age. The irrepressible will of creation of today’s artists in their golden age is a powerful expression of the need for art and culture in our lives. A confirmation of the fact that people are not doomed to idleness when they reach their pension age, and of the importance of mutual esteem, cooperation and support between the generations. In this sense, the film „Wild@heART or the art of staying young“ is an homage to old age and an encouragement to living life to its fullest, and to facing one’s own fugacity with dignity and serenity.

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Credits: Script/Director: Carola Mair

               Camera: Erik Etschel, Angie Bräuml, Erika Michalke

               Sound: Armin Lehner

               Production Assistent: Elisabeth Stadler

              

Music:   Loving the Alien, Takatsuma Mukai, Erwin Rehling, Bleu

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Artists: Bodo Hell, Malcolm Poynter, Nick Treadwell, Alois &Ling Nimmervoll, Inge Dick, Waltraut Cooper, Maria Moser, Friederike Mayröcker uvm

          

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