I Never Knew
Martha Schnuderl
2020
Artist Statement
Being back in Austria I was searching for ways to make my memories made in Tokyo feel as real as possible. Since I was documenting my stay both in form of video and poetry, I was striving to find the perfect combination of my two favorite art forms. „I Never Knew“ is real, it’s slow and fast at the same time. Sometimes there’s nothing, sometimes there’s everything at the same time. I want it to feel like Tokyo, that’s why this project has to cover every spectrum that was on my mind during that time. That way „I Never Knew“ breaks taboos with talking about female masturbation and body experiences, in a society that is still shut down to certain topics. Tokyo made me question, Tokyo made me feel upside down. But I loved it, and it was my goal to capture this weird, overwhelming mix of emotions.
After coming home from my gap year in Japan I felt the bittersweet sorrow and the wish to go back as soon as possible. So I was going through all the memories on my phone and they made me feel the way I did when I first recorded them. I realized that it is possible to let those memories live on collectively in an art project. That way I properly got the chance to say goodbye to this great chapter of my life. I hope I can make others experience a glimpse of Tokyo through my nostalgic reprocessing.
Artist Bio
2019 - Graduation from HTBLVA Ortweinschule, Diploma in Film and MultimediaArt 2018 - Has done the festival trailer for the Filmfestival Video & Filmtage 2018 - Screening of a visual Poetry at the Filmfestival Video & Filmtage 2018 - Nomination to the Austrian Poetry Slam championship 2018 - Nomination to the German speaking Youth Poetry Slam championship in Padderborn 2019 - Screening of my Diploma film at the Filmfestival Video & Filmtage 2019 - Nomination for the Austrian Poetry Slam championship 2019 - Exhibition PointLessNess with a visual poetry, in Reininghausgründe Graz 2019 - Third place at the Austrian Youth Poetry Slam Championship 2019 - Publication in the Anthology Gscheit Goschat