© NOK&T/ART 2014 – Bannenberg & Snel
Dutch ArtitstsCollaborative
Their SFC films
One Minute Silence
http://sfc.engad.org/video/?p=167
Unravelling
http://sfc.engad.org/video/?p=404
Shoah Film Collection Interview Project 2014
10 Questions
1.Tell me something about your life and the educational background.
NOK: Autodidact. My education is completely disordered. Life is the lesson. T and I met 23 yearsago on the darkest side of life. I experienced my second generation post-war “camp”. T experienced her sexual abuse“camp”. For 7 years we separated from “the world”to take care of both damaged minds.Art was, is and always will be part of our survival.
T: We, Theme Bannenberg & Nok Snel, are the Dutch female couple NOK&T/ART. We are adventurers down to the bone. Where ever we roam the direct environment is the set for inspiration. The concept of T&NOK is opposite and spitting images. Confrontation is our drive. The result is photography, objects, installations, words, paintings and since 2008, also videos.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
NOK: When I felt the needto act/perform.
T: Producing our videos is like writing a book. It unites word, image and sound. Since the digital age there’s no hold to it.
3. How do you develo pyour films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
NOK: No principles. Own style. Technical equipment? I have no idea.
T: I love series. We act spontaneously. We are each others sounding board. That’s our strenght.
A photo and video camera, a pc and a variable music/video editing program will do the trick.
4. What was the reaso nto start your film included in Shoah Film Collection? Tell me the story behind the film? Why did you choose the given form of representation? Is your film included in Shoah Film Collection the first one dealing with the Holocaust?
NOK: The Shoah Film Collection is not the first dealing with the Holocaust. Being the second generation after the Holocaust means very much. You are reflecting what happened everyday. It’s a tough fight to get rid of the trauma what is imposedby the first generation of family survivors.
T: Our reason? Let peopl ethink of their behavior, in the past andnow; COMMEMORATE, REFLECT, BE VIGILANT.
5. What kind of meaning has the Holocaust to you personally? Are your family or friends affected or did the topic come by chance?
NOK: I am a Jew.
T: From home I was well educated about the Holocaust. Not far born from the Anne Frank House, I had since my youth a close bond withmy late girl next door Anne. In 1957 the pedestrian crossing, a safe crosswalk was introduced in Amsterdam. Obsessed by the thick white stripes I drew with white chalk a zebra crossing to the home of Anne in the hope providing my imaginary friend a safe passage.
6.Besides the historical relevance related to the persecuted Jews and otherpeople, the Holocaust has a universal relevance. Why is the Holocaust affecting all humans anywhere?
NOK: People should think twice about what they do and what their impact is.
T: We try to unravel the cruel boundaries of humankind.
7. Now, nearly 70 years after World War II, unfortunately the last Holocaust survivors will be dying soon, and no authentic witness is left to transfer the memory of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is about to be marginalized and dehumanized to any other historical incident, whereby it is measured by its final result and less as an escalating process, countless human individuals were undergoing. What do you think might be ways to re-humanize, touch people again emotionally and keep vivid the memory this way?
NOK: By showing it.
T:“Keep the shit vivid” in any form.
8. As a phenomenon, the Holocaust is blasting human imagination, which makes it nearly impossible for people to identify themselves with. What needs to be done, that people may find ways for self-identifying? What can do art for it?
NOK: Tryto let people feel themselves…
T: Repeating is healing. By exposing it over and over and over again one day ever it will be NEVER AGAIN!
9. After the Holocaust and World War II, the traditional (static) visual art media were failing in transferring the memory of the Holocaust, while literature, theatre, music and film were much more successful. On the other hand, due to the new technologies, the boundaries between the “arts” dissolve nowadays and the doors are open to a new interdisciplinary approach. What are the chances for this new (interdisciplinary) perception based on socializing concepts for keeping vivid the memory of the Holocaust? In which way have they to influence the manifestations of Shoah Film Collection via the interventions like a symposium, artists meetings, workshops, exhibitions, performances, screenings, artists talks, discussions etc.
NOK: No idea. But onething’s fo rsure, try to achieve people with it.
T: No chances at all. Do what’s within your ability and don’t expect anything.
10. What are your future artistic plans? Do you plan to work on new projects dealing with the Holocaust or related topics like “collective trauma caused by totalitarianism”?
NOK: Yes we’re far from ready yet!
T: And yes, our work can be viewed online besides the Shoah Film Collection: http://dts.engad.org/blog/?page_id=100 also on of our blog: http://treesjeb.tumblr.com/ see “archive”