Abstract
Synopsis
Abstract (2012) is a return to the contested narrative of Andrea Wolf’s death, with Steyerl traveling to Kurdistan in search of information about her friend's murder. The work links cinematic shooting and military warfare together, implicating Germany’s role in the operation. This has been screened in the past as a dual-channel work. But in this case it has been re-purposed by the artist as a split screen film. (KG) From e-flux: Abstract presents a scenario in which the violence of warfare and the violence of aesthetics twist around each other. The two-channel video visits the site where Steyerl’s friend Andrea Wolf was killed in 1998, but through a prism that refracts cinematic language against the weapons that killed her friend. As the site and circumstances of her death fold into the act of witnessing it from a distance, the ethical burden of identifying those responsible also appears to live and die with the debris that still remains at the site of the helicopter attack.
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Hito Steyerl
- Original Title
- Abstract
- Spoken Languages
- English, Kurdish
- Runtime
- 7m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Hito Steyerl
Department Leadership Roster
Hito Steyerl
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Abstract.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Abstract
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Abstract about?
Abstract (2012) is a return to the contested narrative of Andrea Wolf’s death, with Steyerl traveling to Kurdistan in search of information about her friend's murder. The work links cinematic shooting and military warfare together, implicating Germany’s role in the operation. This has been screened in the past as a dual-channel work. But in this case it has been re-purposed by the artist as a split screen film. (KG) From e-flux: Abstract presents a scenario in which the violence of warfare and the violence of aesthetics twist around each other. The two-channel video visits the site where Steyerl’s friend Andrea Wolf was killed in 1998, but through a prism that refracts cinematic language against the weapons that killed her friend. As the site and circumstances of her death fold into the act of witnessing it from a distance, the ethical burden of identifying those responsible also appears to live and die with the debris that still remains at the site of the helicopter attack.
Who directed Abstract?
Abstract was directed by Hito Steyerl.
Who stars in Abstract?
The principal cast of Abstract includes Not specified.
When was Abstract released and how long is it?
Abstract was released in 2012 with a total runtime of 7m.