Situated performance in collaboration with Magdalena Mitterhofer (2024)
Following the invitation of the Julia Stoschek Foundation as part of the exhibition “Lynn Hershman Leeson: Are Our Eyes Targets?” and “Digital Diaries”, Shade Théret and Magdalena Mitterhofer created Gaia’s Corner, a performance designed for the water feature in front of the main entrance of K20 on Düsseldorf’s Grabbeplatz.
Gaia’s Corner is a performance piece that takes its title from the myth of the Greek goddess Gaia, mother of all life. The title carries a certain irony, as the setting and narrative of the performance is in contrast to notions of naturalness and purity.
The audience becomes silent witnesses to the aftermath of a daring shoplifting spree as two figures seek refuge by the fountain in Grabbelplatz. Slowly over time their stolen goods are revealed. The performance revolves around a complex choreography of diversion and misdirection, becoming its central theme. The characters change their behavior, their languages, and ultimately their appearance to the point of complete unrecognizability. Meanwhile, the surveillance of the square becomes increasingly conspicuous.
Duration: 40 minutes
EXCERPT
Written, Directed & Performed by: Shade Théret & Magdalena Mitterhofer
Music: Antonia Alessia Virginia Beeskow
Costume: Rudolfs A. Packevics
Photo: Ferry Mohr
Video: Arnold Trautwein
Sculptures by: Rochelle Goldberg (Wand, 2024, aluminum, dimensions variable)
Organized by Tabea Marschall
