Background, inspiration, contexts

This chapter introduces the reader to the work of Christoph Schlingensief and his prolific multi-disciplinary practice by setting out his early interest in avant-garde and New German cinema and his background as film-maker. As the authors establish, Schlingensiefs' beginnings in theatre as a young director at the Volksbühne, Berlin form the basis for his further experimentation into television, radio plays, activism, opera and installation and his disparate artistic influences are traced with a view to providing a foundation for comprehending the artist's key concerns and unique aesthetics.