Dara Friedman

born 1968 in Bad Kreuznach
lives and works in Miami

Dara Friedman is best known for her film and video installations, in which she uses the techniques of structuralist filmmaking to depict the lushness, ecstasy, and energy of everyday life. She often distills, syncopates, reverses, loops, or otherwise alters familiar sounds and sights, drawing attention to the distinct sensory acts of hearing and seeing. Whether her work portrays a series of narrative fragments or a single evocative scene repeated over and over, Friedman heightens the emotional impact by cutting directly to the film‘s climax in order to, as she puts it, „get to the part you really care about.“

In Musical (2007)—her first live, performance-based work—Friedman continued her exploration of universal human experience, focusing on the emotional power of sound and, in particular, its capacity to instantly transform one‘s mood or sense of reality. The project played upon the vitality of city life, especially on the crowded streets of midtown Manhattan, where unexpected and memorable encounters can be a daily occurrence. Friedman is interested in blurring the traditional separation between art and life, and between artist and audience.

For NUMBER THREE: HERE AND NOW Dara Friedman developed a new performance called Shooting Gallery, which took place on December 18th, 2009 in the JULIA STOSCHEK COLLECTION.