As someone who has pursued art education across Bangladesh, France, and Germany, I’ve had the privilege of studying under numerous teachers. From primary school to university, each teacher has left a unique mark on my journey. However, among them, one stands out as particularly influential: Rainer Oldendorf, a renowned sculptor and professor at the Institut Supérieur des Beaux-Arts (ISBA) in Besançon, France. In this blog post, I want to share my experiences and the profound impact he has had on my artistic journey.
First Encounter with Rainer Oldendorf : A Meeting of Cultures
I first met Rainer Oldendorf during a two-month residency program at ISBA in France. Coming from Bangladesh, I was excited yet nervous about immersing myself in a new environment. On our first meeting, when I mentioned my Bangladeshi roots, Rainer immediately connected with me by talking about a Bangladeshi filmmaker he admired. He even took me to the library and showed me a book about this filmmaker, who I was not yet familiar with. This gesture of cultural exchange made me feel welcomed and set the tone for our future interactions.
Becoming His Student: A World of Opportunities
A few months later, I officially became Rainer Oldendorf’s student at ISBA. Under his guidance, I participated in various art projects and exhibitions, each one offering a new learning experience. One of the most memorable was a study tour to the Folkwang Museum in Essen on April 13, 2019. I visited this exhibition with Rainer and two Erasmus students, which expanded my understanding of contemporary art in a way that only firsthand experience can provide.
In July of that year, I had the opportunity to work on a filmmaking project titled “Marco 14” in Vienna. Alongside Rainer, ISBA students, and Erasmus students, we spent a week in Vienna exploring the intersection of video art and narrative storytelling. This experience piqued my interest in video art and deepened my appreciation for Rainer’s approach to merging different media in his work.
The HIVE Workshop: A Collaborative Endeavor
From the beginning of 2022 to the end of 2023, I had the privilege of being involved in the HIVE creative research workshop, organized by Rainer. This workshop was a unique initiative aimed at fostering collaboration among students, artists, and cultural institutions. We visited museums, cultural sites, exhibitions, and artists’ studios, each visit offering new perspectives on art and creativity.
One particular highlight was the exhibition and film project in Germany in March 2022. I had the chance to collaborate with prominent artists like Patrick Neu, Carl Emanuel Wolff, Pierre Soignon, Maike Aden, and Frédéric Lormeau. These experiences enriched my understanding of how art can transcend cultural and geographical boundaries, and how it can be a powerful tool for storytelling and social commentary.
A Personal Connection: The Emotional Journey
Beyond the academic and professional interactions, my relationship with Rainer Oldendorf also developed on a personal level. In January 2022, I, along with three other ISBA students, assisted him in moving the furniture from his parents’ apartment. This task was deeply emotional for Rainer, as it involved parting with memories and collections that held significant sentimental value. Witnessing his vulnerability and the importance he placed on personal history provided me with a deeper understanding of the emotional connections that underpin much of his work.
Exploring New Horizons: The Final Chapter
My journey with Rainer culminated in a visit to Bauhaus University and the House of Goethe in Weimar, followed by a trip to Dresden in July 2023. These visits, rich in historical and cultural significance, were the perfect conclusion to my time with him. They encapsulated everything I had learned from Rainer: the importance of history, the power of storytelling, and the endless possibilities of creative exploration.
Reflecting on His Influence and Legacy
Rainer Oldendorf is not just an exceptional educator; he is an influential artist whose work spans various media, including sculpture, film, photography, and teaching. Born on October 28, 1961, in Lüchow, Germany, Rainer’s artistic journey has taken him across multiple countries, establishing a strong presence in places like Besançon, Lörrach, Paris, and Porspoder. His work is characterized by a deep exploration of personal, social, and political history, often reflecting on the contexts in which his pieces are created.
Rainer’s artistic philosophy revolves around the idea of transforming the public space into a private one, blending reality with fiction, and exploring the delicate line between photography and film. His approach is holistic, involving the communities he engages with and inviting spectators to become active participants in the narrative. This is evident in his numerous solo and group exhibitions across Europe, where his work has been showcased in prestigious venues like Fundació Antoni Tàpies in Barcelona, Kunstverein in Bonn, and documenta 14 in Athens and Kassel.
His exhibitions, such as “Wie ich lebe und warum” at Galerie du Granit in Belfort (2019), and “Grammaire au service de la disparition” at Ecole Régionale des Beaux-Arts in Valence (2006), are testament to his ability to provoke thought and evoke emotion through his art. Rainer’s work often challenges conventional boundaries, encouraging viewers to question their perceptions of space, time, and memory.
As Nuria Enguita Mayo insightfully observed, Rainer’s art is “an exercise that shifts the public space to the private one, the real space to a fictitious one, between photography and film.” This duality in his work is what makes his art so compelling and relevant in today’s world, where the lines between reality and fiction are increasingly blurred.
Having had the privilege of learning from him, I can confidently say that Rainer Oldendorf has not only shaped my artistic practice but also broadened my worldview. His teachings have inspired me to continue exploring the intersections of different media and to always remain curious about the world around me.
In conclusion, my time with Rainer Oldendorf has been transformative. He is not just a teacher, but a mentor and guide who has opened doors to new opportunities and ways of thinking. His influence will undoubtedly continue to shape my artistic journey for years to come.
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