詹姆斯·班宁 | 鲁尔区 Ruhr
詹姆斯·班宁《鲁尔区》（静帧）2009，高清影像，124 min，艺术家惠允
詹姆斯·班宁（James Benning）是美国著名实验性电影导演和影像艺术家，他以其独特的电影风格和对环境、时间以及人类经验的探索而闻名。他被视为实验电影领域的重要创作者之一。他的影片通常采用长镜头、静态画面和平静的节奏，让观众有机会深入思考影像中所呈现的主题。班宁的作品涵盖了各种主题，从自然景观到人类社会，从个人经验到历史记忆。他通过镜头所捕捉到的平凡事物，探讨着时间、空间和观看的本质。他的作品在电影实验、影像哲学和文化研究领域产生了深远的影响。
James Benning is an American experimental film director and video artist known for his distinctive cinematic style and exploration of environment, time, and human experience. He is regarded as one of the major creators in the field of experimental cinema. His films usually employ long takes, static images and a calm rhythm, giving the viewer the opportunity to think deeply about the themes presented in the images. Banning's work encompasses a variety of subjects, ranging from natural landscapes to human society, from personal experience to historical memory. He explores the nature of time, space and viewing through the mundane things he captures through his lens. His work has had a profound impact in the fields of film experimentation, philosophy of video and cultural studies.
《鲁尔区》标题取自德国著名工业区鲁尔区，探索了这个地区的景观、工业遗址以及人类活动的变迁。影片以其宁静和独特的拍摄风格而闻名，它采用长镜头和静态画面来呈现鲁尔区的不同场景。电影中共有七个仔细构图的场景，这些场景看似平凡，但通过镜头的观察，它们蕴含着丰富的情感和意义。这些场景包括一个有一辆汽车的隧道、一个有着炽热钢条的工厂、一个飞机穿越上空的森林、一座清真寺内百名敬拜者的场景、一面有人持武器对抗涂鸦的墙壁、一个典型的工人阶级区域街道，以及一个巨大的烟囱，不时冒出烟雾。这些场景看似平凡，但在本宁的镜头下，它们变得深刻而引人深思。电影不仅是对德国鲁尔区的一次感性之旅，也是对人类与环境、过去与现在之关系的思索。这部电影挑战了传统的叙事结构，鼓励观众以更深入的方式体验影像，感受其中的情感和意义。值得一提的是，这也是詹姆斯·班宁的作品首次在中国的展出。
Taking its title from Germany's famous industrial district of the Ruhr, this piece explores the landscape, industrial sites, and changes in human activity in the area. Known for its serenity and unique style of filmmaking, the movie employs long takes and stills to present different scenes from the Ruhr area. There are seven carefully composed scenes in the movie, which may seem mundane, but they are rich in emotion and meaning when viewed through the lens. These scenes include a tunnel with one car in it, a factory with blazing steel bars, a forest with airplanes traversing the sky above it, a scene of a hundred worshippers in a mosque, a wall with people armed against graffiti, a typical street in a working class area, and a huge chimney with smoke coming out of it from time to time. These scenes may seem mundane, but under Benning's lens they become profound and thought-provoking. The movie is not only a sensual journey through the Ruhr area of Germany, but also a meditation on the relationship between humans and the environment, the past and the present. The movie challenges the traditional narrative structure and encourages the viewer to experience the images in a deeper way, to feel the emotions and meanings in them. It is worth mentioning that this is also the first time that James Banning's work is exhibited in China.
詹姆斯·班宁《鲁尔区》（静帧）2009，高清影像，124 min，艺术家惠允
詹姆斯·班宁（James Benning）是美国著名的实验性电影导演和影像艺术家，他以其独特的电影风格和对环境、时间以及人类经验的探索而闻名。
詹姆斯·班宁于1942年生于威斯康辛州的密尔沃基。他曾在伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校学习数学和艺术，后在加州大学洛杉矶分校（UCLA）获得了电影学硕士学位。他的作品常常以实验性和探索性的影像呈现，挑战传统的叙事结构和电影制作方法。影片通常采用长镜头、静态画面和平静的节奏，让观众有机会深入思考影像中所呈现的主题。
班宁的作品涵盖了各种主题，从自然景观到人类社会，从个人经验到历史记忆。他通过镜头所捕捉到的平凡事物，探讨着时间、空间和观看的本质。他的电影作品常常被视为对观众的思考和感受提出挑战，引导观众以更深入的方式体验影像。他的作品包括了许多广受赞誉的电影，如《Ruhr》、《One Way Boogie Woogie》、《RR》等。他曾在国际电影节上获得过多个奖项，并被视为实验电影领域的重要创作者之一。
班宁以其对影像语言的独特运用和对人类与环境关系的深刻洞察而在艺术界广受赞誉。他的作品在电影实验、影像哲学和文化研究领域产生了深远的影响。
James Benning, born in 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an eminent American filmmaker and visual artist renowned for his distinctive approach to cinema and exploration of environmental, temporal, and human experiences.
Benning studied mathematics and art at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and obtained his Master's degree in Film Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
His works often employ experimental and exploratory visual storytelling, challenging conventional narrative structures and filmmaking methods. His films frequently feature long takes, static shots, and serene pacing that encourage viewers to deeply reflect on the themes presented.
Benning's portfolio encompasses a wide range of subjects, from natural landscapes to human societies, and from personal experiences to historical memories. Through his lens, he investigates the essence of time, space, and the act of observing within the mundane. His films, characterized by their contemplative nature, invite viewers to delve into seemingly ordinary scenes, offering profound emotional and intellectual engagement. Through static imagery, stable cinematography, and tranquil time progression, he creates a sense of calm, inviting the audience to engage in profound contemplation of the seemingly familiar. Notable films by James Benning include "Ruhr," "One Way Boogie Woogie," and "RR." His contributions to the realm of experimental cinema and his deep insights into human-environment relationships have earned him a prominent place in the world of art and film.
Over the years, Benning has garnered critical acclaim for his innovative filmmaking style, which challenges viewers' thoughts and emotions, guiding them to experience imagery in a more profound way. His distinctive utilization of visual language and his profound insights into the human experience and environment have solidified his reputation as a revered figure in the art world. His works have left a lasting impact on experimental cinema, visual philosophy, and cultural studies.
鲁尔区
鲁尔区（德语：Ruhrgebiet）， 是位于德国西部北莱茵-威斯特法伦境内的城市群，它拥有580万人口和4435平方公里的面积。他是莱茵-鲁尔城市群的一部分，整个城市群一共拥有超过1000万的人口和将近10000平方公里的面积。区内人口和城市密集，人口达580万，占全国人口的9％，核心地区人口密度超过每平方公里2700人；区内5万人口以上的城市24个，其中埃森、多特蒙德和杜伊斯堡人口均超过50万。鲁尔区南部的鲁尔河与埃姆舍河之间的地区，工厂、住宅和稠密的交通网交织在一起，形成连片的城市带莱茵-鲁尔。鲁尔区是典型的传统工业地域，被称为“德国工业的心脏”。它地处欧洲的十字路口，又在欧洲经济最发达的区域内，临近法国、荷兰、比利时、丹麦、瑞典等国的工业区。
鲁尔区的工业在快速发展的同时带来了严重的环境污染。德国作家Heinrich Boll在1958年时这样形容鲁尔区：“ 比比皆是的焦炭工厂不断冒着黑烟，铸造厂也不停排出红褐色的污水，还有飘浮在空气中的悬浮粒子，使得户外一切东西都蒙上一层黑灰。洁白的衣物穿出门去，不一会儿便成为灰色。红瓦白墙，绿草如茵的家园，更是遥不可及的梦想。而沿岸化学工厂林立的莱因河，更有如一道被六万多种不同化学药品调成的鸡尾酒。”