Stefan Roloff

Stefan Roloff (born 1953 Berlin) is a painter, video artist and filmmaker, living and working in New York and Berlin. He is a pioneer of digital video and photography.

Life

In 1984, Stefan Roloff was invited to experiment on prototypes of digital video and imaging computers at the New York Institute of Technology. Here, he created FACE (1984), his first Moving Painting which, produced by Peter Gabriel, was the predecessor of his video SLEDGEHAMMER (1986). In 1989, he received a Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts for his digital work.

Stefan Roloff continues to combine his paintings and videos in collaborations with musicians like Martin Rev, Jim O’Rourke and Andrew Cyrille. He has produced and directed numerous videos and two documentary films. Each film is accompanied by an art installation, providing a three-dimensional space which the viewers can enter for a direct experience of the subject matter. His documentary film The Red Orchestra is a portrait of his late father, Helmut Roloff, a resistance fighter against the Nazis. It was nominated for best foreign film 2005 by the US Women Critics Circle.

Selected exhibitions

• XVII Rohkunstbau, Schloss Marquardt, Germany (2010)
• Lindenhotel, Kindenstr. 54, Potsdam, Germany (2010)
• Layers, Galerie Deschler, Berlin, Germany (2009)
• Stefan Roloff, Pierogi Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany (2008)
• Prinz Albrecht Str. 8, Altes Rathaus, Potsdam, Germany (2007)
• Eins Plus Eins, SPI Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany (2005)
• Altered States, Kunsthalle Dominikanerkirche|Kunsthalle Osnabrück, Germany (2004)
• So Into You, Galerie Deschler, Berlin, Germany (2003)
• When 6 Is 9, Deutsch Amerikanisches Institut in Saarbrücken, Tübingen, Nürnberg, Germany (2001/2002)
• When 6 Is 9, Galerie Deschler, Berlin, Germany (1999)
• Pence Springs Resort, Thread Waxing Space, NYC, USA (1995)
• Our Daily Planet, Casa de Cultura Basauri, Bilbao, Spain (1992)
• Stefan Roloff. 1982-1992,The Seed Hall, Tokyo, Japan (1992)
• Niveles, Palau Solleric, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (1991)
• Methamorphosis, Casa de Cultura Laura Alvim, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (1990)
• Still Life and Methamorphosis,Evan Janis Fine Art, NYC, USA (1990)
• Photomorphosis, Montgomery College, Maryland, USA (1990)
• Moving Painting, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France (1989)
• Paper Murals, Fashion Moda, NYC, USA (1983)
• Gedankengut in Öl und Gummi, Schloß Gartow, Gartow, Germany (1982)

Video Compilations

• 2004: Play - Peter Gabriel
• 1992: US - Peter Gabriel
• 1990: Black Box - Suicide

Filmography

• 2011 Das Schweigen - When 6 is 9 Productions
• 2010 Lindenhotel - When 6 is 9 Productions
• 2009 Let There be Light - When 6 is 9 Productions, Rohkunstbau
• 2007 Memory Breakdown - When 6 is 9 Productions, Musik: Martin Rev
• 2004 Die Rote Kapelle - ZDF, When 6 is 9 Productions, Hybrid Films, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1999 Cabezera Raquel - Hervè Hachuel
• 1999 Seeds - Audra Allen, Stefan Roloff, Musik: Peter Gordon
• 1997 Mirage - When 6 is 9 Productions, WW Productions, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1997 Liquid - When 6 is 9 Productions, WW Productions, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1995 The Year of the Stone - Audra Allen, Stefan Roloff
• 1993 Meditation in the Roaring Twenties - Eva Müller, When 6 is 9 Productions
• 1992 What's Going on? - Stageways Productions, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1992 The Visit -REBO High Definition Studio, Stefan Roloff, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1989 Dominic Christ - Video zur Suicide LD "A Way of Life", When 6 is 9 Productions
• 1989 Surrender - Video zur Suicide LP "A Way of Life", When 6 is 9 Productions
• 1989 ZAAR - Video der Peter Gabriel LP "Passion"
• 1989 Fireball - Stefan Roloff, Eric Spiegel, Musik: Jim O’Rourke
• 1989 Still Life- When 6 is 9 Productions, Eric Spiegel, Musik: Martin Rev
• 1987 Lunch - When 6 is 9 Productions, Eric Spiegel
• 1987 Leben und Tod von Ludwig van Beethoven - When 6 is 9 Productions, Musik: Joe Robiller
• 1987 The Room Mate, When 6 is 9 Productions, Musik: Walter Steding
• 1985 Big Fire - NYIT, Stefan Roloff, Musik: Andrew Cyrille
• 1984 The Face - NYIT, Peter Gabriel, Stefan Roloff
• 1980 Fopo Fever - Stefan Roloff, Musik: Anja Kiessling, Leo Lehr, Kurt Herkenberg
• 1978 Die Dicke - Stefan Roloff, Musik: Joe Robiller, Anja Kiessling, Leo Lehr

Books

• Linden Hotel, Postdam Museum and Fördergemeinschaft Lindentrasse 54 (2010)
• XVII Rohkunstbau', Berlin (2010), ISBN 978-3-89930-306-3
• Stefan Roloff, Videos 1978–2008, Galerie Deschler, Berlin (2008), ISBN 3000268855
• Stefan Roloff: Veränderte Zustände/Altered States, Rasch Verlag, Bramsche (2004), ISBN 3899460197
• Rote Kapelle. Die Widerstandsgruppe im Dritten Reich und die Geschichte Helmut Roloffs., Econ Ullstein List Verlag, München (2002), ISBN 355007543x
• When 6 Is 9, Galerie Deschler, Berlin (2001)
• Volume Three, Pierogi Press, New York (1999)
• Transsexual Exprès, Bilboarte, Bilbao (1998)
• Pence Springs Resort, Thread Waxing Space, New York (1995)
• Nuestro Planeta Cotidiano, Casa de Cultura Basauri, Bilbao (1992)
• Stefan Roloff, Works, 1982-92 The Seed Hall, Tokyo(1992)
• Atlas, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Canada (1990)
• The Photography of Invention, National Museum of American Art, Washington DC (1989)
• Dritte Videonale, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Bonn (1988)
• The Second Emerging Expression Biennial, Bronx Museum, New York (1988)
• Stefan Roloff, Ausstellungen Schinckestraße, Berlin (1987)
• Digital Visions, Everson Museum, New York (1987)
• Zweite Videonale, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Bonn (1986)
• Stefan Roloff, Art Palace, New York (1984)
• Internationales Plastik Symposium, Städtisches Museum Lindau, Lindau (1983)
• Dimensionen des Plastischen, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Berlin (1981)
• Gedankengut in Öl und Gummi, Schloß Gartow, Gartow (1981)

External links

• Stefan Roloff in the German National Library catalogue (German)
• Stefan Roloff at the Internet Movie Database
• Stefan Roloff, Videografie
• zdf.de
• Art project
• Stefan Roloff: video.saatchigallery.com]
• Susan Hapgood: Stefan Roloff at Thread Waxing Space - New York, New York - Review of Exhibitions - Brief Article, Art in America, February 1996
• Ned Martel: Fighting the Dangerous Fight Under the Nazis New York Times, March 2, 2005
• www.when6is9.com
• Castle Gnome Virtual Monument by Stefan Roloff
• [1] Website, virtual monument