Directed by Asta Wellejus, Teddy Kristiansen
Artminute as a new culture format, is created by a unique collaboration between the film company Zentropa, ArtMuseum Brandts in Denmark and the digital experience company, Die Asta Experience. Artminute uses films to open up classical artworks in museums, for all audiences. The vision is to democratize artworks in our public museums. And make sure anyone can access the experience of a painting at a museum, without needing to know the painting, the artist or the time period. The first film in the format is: “The Perfect Selfie”.
Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
“Like Fantasia on speed or Werner Herzog on Youtube”
– Asta Wellejus & Peter Aalbæk
The first ArtMinute film “The Perfect Selfie” tells the story of Danish painter Jens Juel (1745-1802). Juel traveled for more than 25 years visiting many European countries to explore art. When he meet the paintings of the old masters like Rembrandt, it transformed him profoundly. This new knowledge, shown in the film as a light, he then brought back to Denmark. Juel was a traveller and a workaholic. He created more than 1100 artworks, one being his self portrait, the perfect selfie. The film tell this story of personal defeat and profound change, through emotions, music and colors.
Director Biography – Asta Wellejus, Teddy Kristiansen
Asta Wellejus was headhunted out of university in 1997 by Lars Von Trier, to develop new types of narratives and experiences based on roleplaying for Zentropa.
Since then she has been creating new hybrid formats to challenge film, games, museums, classical music and learning. Her speciality is creating new interactive audience experiences, with crossdiciplinary teams. She has created 40 + digital projects, games and installations.
Teddy is a Danish comic book artist, known for his work in mystery, horror, and dark, suspense-filled comics. He drew one chapter of The Kindly Ones story arc in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series.
In 2005, Teddy won an Eisner Award for Best Comics Painter for his work on the Superman Graphic Novel It’s a Bird. Kristiansen was also featured in DC’s 8th issue of Solo.
Director Statement
Director Asta Wellejus reports:
– In Artminute we “open” up the picture and tell the creative and personal journey of Jens Juel and his art. After you have seen the film, you will look at the painting with different eyes. We have given you a key to a work of art and a look into a universe hundreds of years ago. We use stories and emotions everyone can relate to, to open up the story in the painting. Jens Juels story is actually a modern story. It is about identity, travelling to find yourself, and your passion. But it is also about social mobility. Jens Juel came from humble beginnings but ended up painting the Danish king. It has been fascinating to create the storyline. We have worked closely with the museum and have changed their research into a narrative, says Asta Wellejus.
Producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen from Zentropa is happy to have an easier access to art:
– Art requires a pre-understanding I don’t possess. This film is a key to this lack of understanding. Even I can understand an ArtMinute film and learn something about the painting.
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