Bodypainting
Bodypainting is one of the oldest artforms in the world. “The Memory Of Water” brings an unique combination of bodypainting with dance, film and visual arts. The dancers will perform on a stage especially designed for a bodypainting presentation, with professional light design and live streaming to present all details of it in the highest quality.
There are two main body painters and four body painters’ assistants who will transform the dancers into colorful water creatures, create illusionary artworks on living human body, using only organic and eco-friendly materials.
Johannes Stoetter
The Master of Illusions
Professional artist Johannes Stötter is known for his groundbreaking work in the realm of body painting and body art. His 2013 creation of a tropical frog using 5 models went viral, propelling his career into another stratosphere. As a world renowned phenomenon, Johannes has won numerous awards, reached various milestones and received several accolades from notable press. Based in northern Italy, he resides in a small town in the Alps; holding a deep connection with nature, he gains much of his inspiration. Guided by his life’s philosophy, and motivated by everyday life, his fascination with people of various cultures allows his ingenuity to flourish.
Rather than a static canvas, Johannes transfers his art onto live models, which enhances the connectivity between the artist, person and art-form. Bringing his artwork to life with each brush stroke, and creating detailed effects with his hands, he fuses the seen and unseen into one. Often blending his art into the backdrop of natural landscapes or indoor décor, he creates illusionary masterpieces, portraying the beauty of life forms within its very existence and vulnerability.
Mind-blowing, astounding, and inspirational, his ability to select the perfect shades of colour is as accurate as an “eyedropper tool”. Making it seem effortless, his distinctive technique compliments his peculiar, yet driven and passionate persona; as he brilliantly paints his vision, transforming each model piece by piece. Born into a lifestyle that revolves around intertwining elements of creativity, spirituality and alternative living, music is also an integral part of his artistic expression.
With a high spirit and powerful creative sense, he teaches at bodypainting workshops, and exhibits his work all around the globe. His ability to touch the hearts of others and spark positivity through his art is by far one of Johannes’s utmost successes.
www.johannesstoetterart.com
Vilija Vitkute
Vilija's art speaks about the human and nature relationship, its spirit and colorfulness. Vilija’s passion for art comes from nature, music and stories. She is focusing on a human body, environment, equal rights, climate change. Vilija is painting in many different places in the world, from the mountains of Morocco to the barren landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Vilija finds inspiration in the world of nature to create her vibrant and colorful body art. – I used to spend most of my time in nature because it is where I find myself free, and it has no borders and no limits. There I take in expressions from mountains, water and colors. It gives me so much energy to create and be who I am. Her art and videos won prizes in Sweden and worldwide, among others: Sweden Dalarnas Culture Prize of 2015, Borlänge Culture Prize of 2014, Dalarnas Music Awards Best Music Video of 2015. She has been performing and exhibiting in Venice Biennale 2015, Avesta Art, Waterfront Stockholm, BOOM Festival, Amsterdam International Art Fair, Falun Magazinet, Peace & Love Festival, AgitAgueda 2017 & 2018, Mėnuo Juodaragis in Lithuania. She won the World Bodypainting Championship 2019 in the Special Effects category and 4th, 5th and 6th places in other categories since 2015 in the World Bodypainting Festival in Klagenfurt, Austria. Photos from her camouflage bodypainting series became well known in worldwide media. She was awarded artist in Sweden and Norway, she received an art culture prize of the year and won best music video prize in 2015 in Sweden. Vilija has lived in Sweden more than 10 years, and a few years in the Arctic; she spent creation time in Amsterdam, California, Austria, Portugal and Iceland. She is traveling around the world by working as a professional artist and also working together with body painter Johannes Stoetter in world known TV shows and venues.
Bodypainters- assistent's
Elisa Hochrainer, based in Italy. She has been working with body painters Johannes Stoetter and Vilija Vitkute since 2010 in various art, TV and performance projects around the world.
Christiane Rampel, based in Munich, Germany. She has been a bodypainter since 2013 and body painter's assistant for different international artists.
Eugenija Sarkova, born in Lithuania, based in Amsterdam. She started her journey with bodypainting in 2017 at the World Bodypainting Festival in Austria. She creates body painting in different categories like brush and sponge, special effects, airbrush, facepainting and more. She has been working with Vilija Vitkute as an assistant since 2018.