crowds and power

(in collaboration with Christian Weiss)

Format: scenic piece for 1 actor, 4 dancers and real time electronics and video
Creation: march – may 2011
Premiere: 5th may 2011. Kunstmühle Braunschweig (Germany)
Duration: 45 min.


 

The crowd, suddenly there where there was nothing before, is a mysterious and universal phenomenon. A few people may have been standing together – five, ten or twelve, not more; nothing has been announced, nothing is expected. Suddenly everywhere is black with people. (Elias Canetti: „Crowds and Power“)

Canetti’s text attempts to explain how the consciousness, will and rationality of an individual dissolve upon entering a crowd. In this work the rationality of the text is suspended, and the spoken word is superimposed with elements of sound art, dance, video and performance which seek to embody the phenomenon of crowds in all its depth and complexity. Emotion, rhythm and movement now become the main components of discourse.

The present work follows on from a project begun by the two artists as invitees of the European Network of Performing Arts (ENPARTS) at last year’s Campus 2010 in Belgrade. ENPARTS is an initiative of the Venice Biennale.