Marie Paule Bilger
French videomaker
The W:OW Project
Interview: 10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and educational background …
Through my childhood I followed classical dance training at the Conservatory and after my baccalaureate degree I enrolled into medical school in Strasbourg. I dropped everything, I started studying visual arts and followed the painting course at the Decorative Arts of Strasbourg: why? An absolute necessity. I wondered for a long time why had I not made a career as a dancer: it was the competition that made me run away.
2. When, how and why did you start filming?
In 2011, I approached this field rather late because of a simple sentence from a friend who said to me “but why don’t you make a video with your paintings … ..? ” Having two sons in the field of cinema, I threw myself into the adventure by casting this challenge. I was very well surrounded.
3. What kinds of topics do your films have?
I have been working on the theme of war since 2001 and current events in the world and have made me question. I found a notebook dating from 1941 in my family home and it was a real Pandora’s box.
Someone, I do not know, had cut out images of war, glued and staged them together. These images are from February to April 1941 and mostly represent London. I had forgotten all these war stories and yet I have not stopped hearing them. It is in 2001 on September 11 with the fall of twin towers, that I realized that history repeats itself. All I had heard during my childhood came back: the rise of racism, unemployment, precariousness. Having worked for a long time in a very difficult establishment, I was at the heart of it all. I had only one question: where is the world going?
http://www.mariepaulebilger.fr/
4. Concerning your included video: please tell me more about the aims and the contents.
The question I ask myself every time is “what am I doing with what’s happening to me?” And with “Sweet Fight” everything started in my studio. Actually I need to tell a story and at the same time completely forget it. In this project I was confronted with a simple task with another artist: a wall and an exhibition, with the question how we organize ourselves to hang the works? And it ended with a huge argument: the other artist did not speak to me …… I made the video!
5. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
As said it’s really related to the work of painting and artist’s book.
I saw this as a challenge, I imagine the whole process of the video, I often have the editing timeline in mind quickly.
6. Tell me more about the technical equipment you use.
I take everything that falls into my hands: technique does not interest me at all, what will count is experimentation and content. The last video was made with an Ipad.
7. How do you finance your films?
I finance my videos.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team?
If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
I started with a team: my two sons, and now I continue with people I wish to create with. The big difference with painting is teamwork. I really like working in this way.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
When I finish: I request only two persons to give me their opinions.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
As a matter of fact I dream of working on documentaries. I like to observe people and their reactions.
Can works of yours be reviewed online besides on the platforms of The New Museum of Networked Art? If yes, where?
List of some links & resources
Tanu is dancing https://vimeo.com/292686736
Sweet fight : https://vimeo.com/224181924
Between https://vimeo.com/167270732
Tremblement https://vimeo.com/100881744
We-nous https://vimeo.com/45692737
Furtif https://vimeo.com/45692736
dEnouer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwqXeddZwvw
Move-on https://videos.videoformes.com/video/111482