Development of an independent artistic expression, to meet different contemporary artistic practices and strategies dealing with (social-public-cinematically-architectural) space, possible presentations in architectural and artistic context.
This artistic project offers an introduction to artistic thinking and acting based on dealing with contemporary performance in its socio-political dimension, especially realted to urban space. As response to participating in the performance by Claudia Bosse's "Explos"shutdown"io of Silence" (1.10.-19.10.2017) the students will develop small "gestures" in the sense of "shutdown" for locations to be selected.
"The gesture of shutdown. An option for resistance?"
This artistic project will engage directly in the urban practice: It starts immediately at the beginning of the semester by participating in Claudia Bosse's urban intervention "Explosion of Silence" (http://www.theatercombinat.com/projekte/silentchorus/explosionderstille.htm).
This experience will be accompanied by an overview of significant positions of artists working with performance (u.a. Marina Abramovic, Tino Seghal, Alexandra Perici, Anne Imhof, Joseph Beuys) for striving for societal change. These are the basis for developing an urban gesture addressing the realtionship between overproduction of art, underfinancing and under-recognition of the impact of art on society.
The gesture serves as modest means we actively want to explore. Similar to the function of the laughter in hopeless situations (like in Syria in the civil war) as final means of resistance, shutting down or slowing down can serve as methods for enhancing change - as a quite different option than usual activist forms. - A "project almost impossbile" - as Claudia Bosse describes the "Explosion of Silence".
Literature:
„Gesten“ by Vilém Flusser
„Ästhetik des Performativen“, Erika Fischer-Lichte (edition suhrkamp)
„Der Verlust des Mitgefühls“ by Arno Grün
