Charmant Band

1983, 9:19 min, color, sound

In Charmant Band, the barely suppressed violence of vom Bruch's rapid-fire video switching is mirrored by his dynamic, reductive imagery. In an aggressive collapse of the personal and historical, vom Bruch repeatedly inserts the "live" image of his own face into fragmented film footage depicting the fiery explosions of the guns of a World War II bomber, so that the two images are seen simultaneously. Identifying with the position of the pilot, vom Bruch assumes a menacing, almost demonic presence as he stares directly into the camera. In a sinister transposition of meaning, the word "charmant" (charming) is repeated over and over in a staccato rhythm that echoes the stutter-step visuals of the exploding weapons.