DasArts / Master of Theatre

Block 24
The Political Body

Block 24 started on 20 February 2006 and ended on 28 April 2006
The semester started on 1 March 2006 and ends on 31 August 2006

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Mentors

Ibrahim Quraishi (PAK/USA/F) and Gabriel Smeets (NL)

photo bottom left: Jochem Jurgens

On how political a body

Is/has to be/could be/should be/wants to be/lacks to be/tries to be/avoids to be/needs to be

Guest teachers

Shirin Neshat (IR), Coco Fusco (USA), Tanya Reinhart (IL), Raimund Hoghe (D), Bojana Kunst (SLO), Maaike Bleeker (NL), Rosa Sanchez/Alain Baumann : KONIC Thtr (E/F), Walid Breidi (LB),Vijay Iyer (USA), Pamela Z (USA), Mike Ladd (USA), Hooman Sharifi (IR/N), Oscar Munoz Galeano (CO), Stefan Kaegi: Rimini Potokol (D), AZIZ (NL) and Oumar Mbengue Atakosso (SN), guest artist/food design

Artists participants

Danai Anesiadou (GR/B), Isaac Calos (ANG), Sybille Cornet (B), K.G. Guttman (CA), Norberto Llopis Segarra (E), Kaisu Koski (FI), Sarah van Lamsweerde (NL), Bojana Mladenovic (SER), Rodrigo Pardo (AR), Janja Rakus (SLO), Borut Separovic (NL/HR), Seon-Ja Seo (KR), Marloeke van der Vlugt (NL)

Content of the Block

The Political Body: a conceptual reality in-transition, is a ten week series of lectures and workshops specifically designed to proactively deal with the role and representation of the body in all its different facet's. While focusing on the conflictual socio-cultural lens during ten weeks, we intend to address the body's representation and symbolic manifestations in a multi-dynamic context within its own performative reality. In treating the culturally transformed body through the prism of performative realities and through the prism of a real-time confrontation, we will be looking at the body struggling through its own imprisoned archetypes. Through distinguished guests we reflect on the politics of the body by way of the skin, the notion of race, sexual preference, physical and cultural manipulation, religious and political ideologies. We intend to examine the body through the microscope of its individual placement and its historical connections inside our current ideological systems.

Since the body has its own specific qualities that cannot be replaced by other means, we hope that the awareness of the many different qualities connected to the body will enable our artists/participants to make clear decisions on the use of the body in their future works and creations. More awareness of the political context connected to the actual body in their work will give more raison d'etre to that very work.

Week by week

PHASE 1: Orientation / Collection consists of weeks 1-6
For the participants the motto is: ABSORB!

Week 1: 20 - 26 February 2006
Body In Building
• This week was spent together with mentors, participants and guest lecturers in the politically loaded space Fort Wierickerschans in Bodegraven (NL). Here, the lectures and workshops were given by both the mentors and guest teachers: Tanya Reinhart, AZIZ and Maaike Bleeker.

Week 2: 27 February - 5 March 2006
Bodynomics/ Bodytech
During Week 2, the ‘weekly block routines’ were introduced: gi choung/tai chi/meditation training by Oscar Muñoz Galeano, collective lunches prepared by Oumar Mbengue Atakosso. Week 2 was spent in the DasArts premises with guest teachers: Walid Breidi, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd & Pamela Z, Rosa Sanchez & Alain Baumann. Presentation of two Open Labs: Open Lab 131 ‘Mirada Tactil’, in collaboration with Rosa Sanchez/Alain Baumann: KONIC Thtr. Open Lab 132 ‘Still life in Progress’, in collaboration with Walid Breidi, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd and Pamela Z

Week 3: 6 - 12 March 2006
Body Truth
• Workshop by Hooman Sharifi. Development of a format presentations, that would presented in the eighth week.

Week 4: 13 - 19 March 2006
Dramaturgy Of The Body
• guest teachers: Bojana Kunst and Raimund Hoghe

Week 5: 20 - 26 March 2006
Bodies On Stage

Week 6: 27 March - 2 April 2006
Body in System

Projects on location:
- Janja Rakus presented a projection on the wall of the Van Gogh Museum on 28 March
- Sarah van Lamsweerde installed a temporary monument for the ‘replaced war monument’ in City District ‘De Baarsjes’ on 28 March 2006
- Norberto Llopis Segarra, Rodrigo Pardo and Bojana Mladenovic projected the emptiness and nakedness of the building on Fortis Bank (Rokin)
- Danai Anesiadou and Marloeke van der Vlugt visited Cicciolina in Rome (Italy)
- Isaac Carlos interviewed people wearing traditional clothing
- K.G. Guttman and Seon-Ja Seo visited the Palestinian territories

PHASE 2: Designing / Selecting consists of weeks 7 & 8

Week 7: 3 - 9 April 2006
Body Focus

Guest teachers: Guy Garcia, Hooman Sharifi
Open Lab 133, participants’ presentation in collaboration with Hooman Sharifi

Week 8: 10 16 April -2006
Body Focus II

PHASE 3: Building / Montage will consist of week 9

Week 9: 17-23 April 2006
Body and Built
Preparations for the presentations ‘Art in the Age of Terrror’, Open Lab 136/137

PHASE 4: Final Presentation

Week 10: 24 -30 April 2006
Body Display

‘Art in the Age of Terrror’

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