Maria Korporal – Germany

Maria Korporal was born 1962 in Sliedrecht, the Netherlands. She studied graphics and painting at the St. Joost Academy of Fine Arts in Breda. During her studies she began working with photography and she graduated with, among other things, a video installation. After her studies, in 1986, she moved to Italy, where she returned to painting. In 1989 she co-founded the Italian publishing house Apeiron Editori, directing the production and book design. In this environment she became involved with the use of computers, and she began applying digital techniques also in her art work. Since 1998 she has dedicated herself to using the new media arts for her expression. Until 2013 she lived in Italy in Sant’Oreste (RM). Since 2014 she has lived and worked in Berlin. Maria Korporal’s artistic production includes video art, installations, interactive art and performances. She is an active member of the Verein Berliner Künstler (Association of Berlin Artists) and of the artists’ group Group Global 3000 – Art and other sustainabilities in Berlin. Her videos are distributed in Italy by VisualContainer, Milan. Her works have been shown and awarded in various exhibitions all over the world. Among the numerous international festivals where her videos were presented: FIVAC, Fest Miden, Madatac, Now & After, Unabhängisches Medienfestival Tübingen, WRO Media Art Biennale, InVideo, Bolzano Short Film Festival, Instants Vidéo, Proyector, Magmart, MashRome FilmFest, Mediawave Festival, Strangloscope, Cyberfest, ReggioFilmFestival, Over the Real, Ibrida, Vierte Welle Festival.

The First After-Corona Kiss, 2020

The video was created in the first half of April 2020, while the world was rapidly overwhelmed by coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, and most countries were in lockdown. Physical contact was identified as the main cause of infection and to be absolutely avoided. Social distancing of at least 1,5mt was mandatory, and masks strongly recommended if not prescribed, to protect ourself and others.
In this video I visualize the tensions of this situation: the sorrow for those who fell ill and those who died, the fear to become infected and the frustration to keep friends and loved ones at safe distance. In the end I imagine the liberation and the beauty of the time when we can hug each other again: it will feel like the magic of your first romantic kiss ever.