Sophie Calle: Conversation with the Nameless Man

A conversation about "self-burial" between artist Sophie Calle and a man without identity. In this video the two artists meet for the first time, to discuss an artistic idea which they have discovered that they share: arranging and attending your own funeral.
French artist Sophie Calle (born 1953) meets a Danish writer that has no name to talk about attending your own funeral. At first it seems they have had the same idea, but it turns out that their reasons and thoughts about their respective projects are very different.
Sophie Calle is a French photographer, writer and conceptual artist. Her work frequently depicts human vulnerability, and examines identity and intimacy.
The artist formerly known as Claus Beck-Nielsen (born 1963) declared himself dead in 2001 and a silicone effigy of him was buried in 2011 at the Assistens cemetery in Copenhagen.
The body Claus Beck-Nielsen used to occupy remains living, and worked for the corporation Das Beckwerk until 2011, when Das Beckwerk closed.
Das Beckwerk Museum opened in 2011 in order to continue the remains of the artist who now calls himself 'Nielsen'.
"The reason why your mother's funeral became fantastic was that she was actually dead." Says the nameless man to Sophie Calle.
"It's a light fantasy for me, it's not a heavy fantasy, it doesn't mean I want to die..." Sophie Calle compares arranging her funeral to arranging her wedding. She explains that she is a control freak and she wants to have a magnificent theatrical funeral, organizing where her friends are seated etc. -- and importantly, is present to see what happens.
The conversation between Sophie Calle and the nameless man was filmed at the Louisiana Museum in 2010.
Camera: Kim Hansen
Edited by Kamilla Bruus
Produced by Christian Lund.
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.
Meet more artists at channel.louisiana.dk
Louisiana Channel is a non-profit video channel for the Internet launched by the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in November 2012. Each week Louisiana Channel will publish videos about and with artists in visual art, literature, architcture, design etc.
Read more:
channel.louisiana.dk/about
Supported by Nordea-fonden.

[@alysonmcvitty7864]

2 people talking about non identity and yet being extremely self glorious/promoting.

[@joalexsg9741]

Crazy geniuses are essential for a society to develop mentally and emotionally, they are part of the balance between the forces of tradition and revolution, conservative and revolutionary lifestyles. He´s obviously a true genius and, as true genius, also quite (creatively) crazy, lol, but I must say I way prefer him this way, as a man, than his present embodiment as Madame Nielsen, this coming from an LGBT myself. Well, I´m attracted to man. I´m so glad this interview was carried in English, so I could get it all and it certainly makes it possible for more people to learn about this most intelligent artist and intellectual, especially being interviewed by another intelligent, sensitive person, an artist herself too!

[@leonhard7475]

I don´t get it...is that just a wish to be free without any labels once the society gave u with the minute u have been born ?

[@skstan1965]

this museum is already the coffin, artists the vampires that seek never to die by making a name, curators zombies, artists always become more famous after death, so isnt it why they want to die now, to allow them to transmute into the living dead, very unconscious banter about the true status of museums as vampire factories.

[@g-r-a-e-m-e-]

Funeral rituals in different cultures is interesting, and we somehow need to deal with and cope with the inevitable. Sophie is usually interesting, but the man with no name is quite silly.

[@chrisstoffer]

hun var godt nok fjern i forhold til Beckwerks ansatte. Håbede ikke hendes ide var taget - så hun kunne fremstå unik, ville have hendes begravelse så hun kunne føle sig, unik. Stakkels ansatte, håber han er godt betalt i jordiske midler.

[@ritahorvath8207]

why are they out of focus ?
📽

[@BernhardFraling]

HI namesless man and Sophie,
thank you for your time.
I enjoyed listen to you..
times in the "end"
My name is not hitler -
but do you think I could stay in the same place like kirkegaard..
Who I should adress to this wish?
B

[@CarmenBelcher]

She by far is the weirdest artist to me. I cannot take it whenever her card comes up from my oracle deck. I'm always afraid some neighbor is following me lol

[@rozaucja8612]

Why does she keep interrupting him? ADHD?