Julian Rosefeldt. Nothing is Original

Deconstructing cinematic mythmaking, playing with media stereotypes, and citing works from the history of art, culture, and film are common threads that run through Julian Rosefeldt’s entire oeuvre. His comprehensive exhibition at C/O Berlin illuminates recurring motifs and approaches in his photographic works and film installations from the past thirty years—and, for the first time, presents previously unpublished storyboards, sketches, set photographs, and ›making-of‹ documentation that offer a rare glimpse into his creative process. Starting with Rosefeldt’s study of architecture, early photojournalistic projects, and his theatre work, the show traces his development toward cinematic fiction. It focuses on his practice of revealing history and ideologies, as well as his exploration of classic film genres and appropriation of archive material and found footage. The exhibition title, which is based on a quote by Jim Jarmusch, sums up Rosefeldt’s methodology: »Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. […] In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.«