(Article in German) Für fast alle Künstler rund um den Globus war das Jahr 2020, mit der uns leider noch immer beschäftigenden und anhaltenden Corona-Pandemie, ein sehr Einschneidendes und Herausforderndes. Bisherige Strukturen, Projekte und über Jahre hinweg aufgebautes, änderten sich rasant von einem Tag auf den anderen. Wir haben bei Eva-Maria Schulz (Germany) nachgefragt wie sie die Situation erlebt hat und damit umgegangen ist. 

(mit Model Ka Thi lein)

Eva-Maria ist vielen durch ihre detailreichen Kreationen im Bereich Bodypainting & Facepainting bekannt aber auch als Teil des Jury Teams bei WBA Contests wie dem Beauty Forum München und erfolgreiche Teilnehmerin am World Bodypainting Festival.

Eva-Maria – wie war das Frühjahr 2020 – in dem besonderen Jahr für ALLE von uns, für DICH?

Von einem Augenblick auf den anderen ist alles anders. In den ersten Wochen hatte ich gut zu tun Stornierungen und Verschiebungen auf 2021 laufend entgegen zu nehmen. Man darf gar nicht darüber nachdenken, welche Möglichkeiten man als Künstler gehabt hätte: Aufträge der UEFA, Bodypainting in London, Messen usw.

Hast du künstlerisch den Pinsel sprichwörtlich „an den Nagel gehängt“?

Die ersten fünf Wochen waren wir wie alle, im Lockdown – in dieser Zeit habe ich meine Künstlerfreundin Daniela Schatz gefragt, ob sie nicht zu uns kommen will. Damit man es einfach gemeinsam „durchsteht“. Pläne wurden geschmiedet, ein Bodypainting für Same Ocean ehrenamtlich gemacht, Wände bemalt und Zack – die Wochen waren rum. Jeder von uns hat auf seine Weise die Zeit genutzt. Man muss aufpassen, dass man in kein „Loch“ fällt so ohne Aufträge. Man durfte ja nicht schminken. Wenn man seit Jahren von der Kunst gut leben kann und es von heute auf morgen keine Veranstaltungen, Messen und ähnliches mehr stattfinden dürfen, ist das schon deprimierend. Es betrifft ja so viele Branchen. Agenturen mit denen man seit Jahren gute Kooperationen hat, sind entweder auf ein Minimum geschrumpft, oder einfach nicht mehr da. Man kommt ins Grübeln.

Du hast auch am diesjährigen World Bodypainting Festival – ausgetragen als Online Event – teilgenommen. Wie war das für dich als Künstler ohne LIVE Publikum?

Das WBF 2020 online war auch etwas Spannendes. Es wurde rund um die Welt im Juli von zu Hause aus gepaintet. Im Bereich Facepainting sind wir zu dritt an den Start gegangen. Simone Stachl, Christiane Rempel und ich mit unseren wunderbaren Modellen. Festivalfeeling war „fast“ da. Das Wetter hat mitgespielt und tolle Fotos sind entstanden. Bei Pinsel/Schwamm war ich allein am Start – einige Freunde und Fotografen kamen vorbei. 8h können ganz schön lange sein. Aber schön war es und auch erfolgreich.

(im Bild: Eva-Maria's Beitrag zur WBF Special Covid-Edition 2020, Model: Marion de Tomaso)

Du bist als selbständige Künstlerin natürlich auch von Aufträgen und Projekten abhängig und du möchtest natürlich wie jeder Künstler deine Kunst zeigen und vor allem ausleben dürfen. Konntest du hier für dich eine Möglichkeit finden?

Im Sommer ging es etwas aufwärts. Lockerungen kamen. Man wurde wieder etwas gebucht. Mit einem guten Schutz- und Hygienekonzept konnte ich drei (!!) öffentliche Aktionen durchführen. Aber man ist ja erfinderisch. Wandbemalungen und Illustrationen kamen dazu. Kindergeburtstage hatten jetzt auch einmal die Chance mich zu buchen. Auch waren sehr viele schwanger – Babybäuche wurden kunstvoll bemalt. Jetzt der zweite Schock – wieder ein Lockdown – light, aber mit keiner Möglichkeit die Kunst auf die Haut zu bringen. Wir werden sehen wie es weitergeht.

Auf alle Fälle werde ich weiter positiv denken – Pläne schmieden und versuchen weiter an der Kunst zu bleiben. So wie es einmal war, wird es wohl nicht mehr werden – das ist mir völlig klar. Aber die Kunst kommt wieder – davon gehe ich aus. In welcher Form – das werden wir sehen.

Auf alle Fälle gesund bleiben – das wünschen wir uns alle.

Liebe Eva-Maria – vielen DANK für den Einblick den du uns gewährt hast!

Wir freuen uns schon, wenn wir dich 2021 bei einem der WBA Events oder dem 24. World Bodypainting Festival in Klagenfurt (AT) wiedersehen!

Mehr zu Eva-Maria: kinderschminken-kunstallerlei.de 

(Interview geführt mit Marlies Wurm-Pontasch, WBA)

Jean-Paul Bourdier is a photographer of unique style, skill, passion and great imagination. His images use multiple crafts – among them painting, poetry, and performance art. He uses no digital enhancement; it is all analog photography.

What you see is what was really there.

Jean-Paul´s work is unique and both simple and yet complex. Each image is a scene – created, staged, captured - of natural landscapes joined with the human form, expressing beauty, truth and wonder in the physical plane, as well as what is in our imaginations.

Read more about his recently published books "Body Mirror" and "Body Unbound":

In Body Unbound, Jean-Paul explores the cycle of human existence through our passage through birth, life, and death. For the first time, he also reveals his contemplative thoughts on his work and its relationship to the universe that surrounds us.

Body Mirror is a contemplation of human beings’ passage on earth and their intimate interrelation with the environment. This book attempts to bring humor to the things we are getting attached to. It points at the invisible within the visible, the immaterial within the material. The naked body is seen as our primary indivisible unit of perception which is usually pushed and pulled by our thinking mind’s desire to either get less or more. In other words, our lives are colored by our minds and since body-mind is a single entity, most of the colors painted on the body are an allusion to the range of our changing desires from being invisible or transparent to wanting to be singular and the center of attention.

Link to Jean - Pauls Website

There is a lot of exciting news coming up from many artists around the world during the pandemic. For example, WBA member Swedish Artist Vilija Vitkuté and her team have been working like crazy in the past months and created a huge production, "The Memory of Water" project.

After getting awarded with the World Champion title at the World Bodypainting Festival in 2019, she got a big drive in moving her art forward. The "Memory of Water" has been her focus since and today she announces the first big publication, the 2021 calendar. Let's jump into her world with her affection to the Arctic lands.

Vilija, tell us, how you spend your time during the pandemic?

Yes, we use this pandemic time to focus, let the dreams grow, concentrate on preparations, working with big patience and love, step by step moving forward. We have a great outcome already now and there will be much more in the future.

What are your intentions and the goal of your project?

“The Memory Of Water '' is my/our first so big and ambitious “dream” project. It started before the pandemic and continued regardless of it, and it is going to be developed during the next few years. It has been growing for many years before during different collaborations and projects about the environment created with dancers, body painters, filmmakers and visual teams within different art disciplines. The main project CEOs are me and my friend Malgorzata Sus.
“The Memory of Water” is a gathering of different art forms and international artists to inspire the world for a change, speak about important environmental topics, bring awareness about climate change, and direct people’s attention towards the beautiful world we live in. The project results in performance, exhibitions, educating and inspiring lectures, workshops, online store and in the future we hope to create a headquarters for the organization The Memory of Water Productions on an island so we can have a base for artists and audience to gather and share creative work, opportunities, exchange experiences and care about water and the environment.
We decided to focus on the water element and bring its stories and memories since we are coping with climate change and we are all responsible for taking actions to care about nature.
For now, we have built project ideas, art vision and plan. We have applied for first fundings, received some and waiting for more responses. The creation process is already happening. We are working fully to make the project come true. We have planned the water journey that already started in the Nordic region, and it will continue in Iceland, South Africa, Sweden, Alps, Austria, Lithuania and other places in 2021/2022. Smaller art residences will happen where we will focus on the water research and creation of bodypainting, photography, art and documentary films.
We are planning to present the first performance in summer 2022 and after that release, a documentary film and an art film, and travel with the project to grow as artists and as human beings, and inspire the world. We fervently believe that artists are a crucial voice in discussing climate change and human impact on nature.

What is your connection to the location, to the nature of the Arctic?

I’m a Nordic spirit, that's where home of my soul is and where big inspiration and love for creation comes from. I love nature and I want to protect it. I'm in love with the Arctic for the bigger part of my life. I know it's pretty crazy irrational to be a bodypainter and create in the Arctic, who does that?

Well, I love to create something different, face unique and creative challenges. I used to travel over 2000 km to the islands of Lofoten where I researched the sea, mountains and all wonderful fauna and flora life. People of the islands are so welcoming and there at the end of the world, I found people that live their dreams and are truly themselves, caring for one another. I fell in love with it and I want to be a part of this unique energy. Of course, the Arctic climate and weather are challenging to live in, but there is no such thing like “bad weather” - it is only an illusion, you learn how to deal with it. You understand that as a human you are a part of nature and sometimes because of big winds or storms you need to wait, respect the storm, feel it and enjoy it, and be patient, because after every storm come rewarding colourful sun horizons, and you feel like in heaven and blessed to be in such a place, seeing the landscapes where large aurora borealis dances in the sky.

Right before the New Year, the 2021 calendar has been published. It’s a camouflage bodypainting calendar with wonderful images, the shooting location, in that case, makes these artworks even more impressive. Where was that and what are the challenges with such productions?

The calendar was created in the Arctic: Norway, Lofoten area and Abisko, North of Sweden. It took me 5 years to gather images for it. Because of the challenging weather, which is changing all the time, from very still to stormy just in an hour, I could make only a few camouflage body paintings in 1 month period and I needed to learn how to paint very fast so the model doesn't freeze. I needed to search for tough models, among local people and collaborating artists, who could make this amazing project happen. Since once I became a model in Arctic weather conditions, I know how it feels to be painted outdoors and what body is going through, and that's when I found out about the breathing methods that keep you warm and the meditation that holds your mind focused away from cold. I even invented invisible warming shoes to keep models’ feet warm and blood circulation running. I managed to do bodypainting in winter with Northern lights - it took me 3 months until I could catch the right moment. It's a lot about patience, waiting for the right moment.
I have created over 25 images and selected 13 best pictures for my first calendar - the first-ever camouflage bodypainting calendar created in the Arctic.

How do you prepare for such a shooting and how do you choose your models?

I meet different models, mostly local people, who really want to be in my project and support such a challenging and unique adventure. I share with them my experience and we build trust and belief that makes it all happen in its best. The flexibility and adaptability matter because the weather constantly changes. I have to wait every day for good weather and when it comes, go out as fast as possible to the right location to paint. I usually have few location options because of different lights and winds. I spend some time just looking at the landscape and memorising its colour and textures, I set up, take a test position picture before and then start fully focused working on the camouflage. It takes from 20 min to 1 hour to paint, picture and film.

This calendar and also images are available in different formats. I saw a note that all sold products will fund the Memory Of Water project.
So it’s a fundraiser for something much bigger?

Yes, we have large format 30x40 and smaller 20x30, and as well some prints and postcards for sale. All money will go to The Memory of Water project so we can continue the creation of it. For example, we have planned a journey to Iceland and to South Africa where we want to make research, create new materials, and prepare a presentation.

Thank you Vilija, we are looking forward to seeing the first performance and exhibitions in 2021 in the Scandinavian region but also for the 24th World Bodypainting Festival in Klagenfurt in July.

Since 1998 the most colourful event in the world takes place and has, therefore, a very long tradition. It founded the modern bodypainting art movement.

This year due to the Corona Covid-19 situation we had to postpone the full World Bodypainting Festival edition to 2021. However, as we have received a lot of interest this year from the bodypainting community we still want to create a very special event that will present itself in the first place ONLINE.

In certain categories, we are organizing an online competition from July 6^th – July 10^th 2020 with awards and prizes. The World Bodypainting Festival Week 2020 will still shine in the colourfulness and joie de vivre!

The online competition will be surrounded by selected programs with live activities in Klagenfurt/AUSTRIA from July 5^th – July 11^th 2020.

What is this Covid Special Edition

• The 2020 Edition of the WBF is an online Award
• There are 6 different categories (3 World Awards, 2 Special Awards, 1 Amateur Award)
• Every day within the festival week is a different category, you can take part in multiple ones.
• On the final day we are going to present all winners in a big TV show styled surrounding.

Timing & Guidelines

The categories & themes for the online competition are:

• Monday, July 6th 2020 Amateur Award: Brush/Sponge Bodypainting
  Theme: PSYCHEDELIC CIRCUS
• Tuesday, July 7th 2020 World Award: Facepainting
  Theme: WONDERS OF NATURE
• Wednesday, July 8th 2020 Special Award: SFX Make-up
  Theme: EVOLUTION
• Thursday, July 9th 2020 World Award: Airbrush Bodypainting
  Theme: PSYCHEDELIC CIRCUS
  +
  Special Award: Creative Make-up
  Theme: CANDY
• Friday, July 10th 2020 World Award: Brush/Sponge Bodypainting
  Theme: PSYCHEDELIC CIRCUS

All further Details + for registraions please visit

2020.bodypainting-festival.com

The Bodypainting Trophy at the Beauty Forum Munich highlighted last weekend, 26th October 2019. 

The artists successfully implemented their understanding of the topic "Artificial Intelligence" and impressed with their creations visitors and the jury: Eva-Maria Schulz, Vilija Vitkute and Johannes Stoetter. We are very thankful for their hard job, as the level of the works this time again was very high and it was not easy to make a decision.

Nevertheless, in the name of the trade show and the WBA, we would like to congratulate the winners for their wonderful works:

1 place: Marian Folga (Poland)
2 place: Giulia Giuggiolini (Italy)
3 place: Wolf Reicherter (Germany)

We thank all artists and their models, who have done a great job!
Looking forward to the next adventures and colorful bodypainting competition with you!

Results as PDF

Gallery

The Congreso Internacional de Maquillaje Artístico, short CIMA is an event created by young artists and entrepreneurs: Carolina Barbosa and Alexander OjodeLince, member of the WBA since a few years now.

In June 2019 we celebrated the 3rd CIMA In which we embraced a social cause, working with “FUNDACIÓN CIMA” (in spanish homonym of the Congress name). This is a non gubernamental organization, wit no profit beneficies that contributes to low breast cancer in Mexico. Through four lines of action: education, information, services for patients and impact en public politics.

Achieving an activity, in which our instructors get involucrated. Some of them are: Mimi Choi, Claudia Aguilar, Inky Kortez, Edgar Ruíz, Adrián Art, Gaby Tips, Alejandra Aranda, Isabel Mazón, Carolina y Alexander. All of them and their teams did makeup on ten models, who belong to the group of the Breast Cancer fighters.
All directed by our photographer Fernando Farfán, realized a photoshoot of all body paintings and later done a calendar using the photos as the main element, that looks to show a message of hope, strenght, resilience. But most of all, empowering these women as an example of admiration and power.

800 pieces were printed in Mexico City. With the valuable help of our awesome sponsors that we like to notice: GoFx Studio, Dr Makeup, Body Art Team Mexico, Zona Makeup Mexico, SuperStar, Senjo Color and the WBA - World Bodypainting Association. Calendars are already on sale in Mexico and all profits will be destined to “FUNDACION CIMA”. This is made in order to continue helping more women. In 2020 we are already preparing CIMA 4th edition, CIMA 4ever. Hoping we can keep working on the professional formation of new artists and supporting social benefit causes.

Link for the Congress on Facebook