The 14th edition of eXplore festival – Bucharest International Contemporary Dance and Performance Festival, the most important event in Romania and Eastern Europe dedicated to contemporary dance and performance, begins in Bucharest on Friday, September 13, 2019, with the premiere of the Anthropology performance, signed by the Swedish choreographer Mårten Spångberg.
Organized by the 4Culture Association and WASP Studios, eXplore festival #14 brings to the fore current topics such as ecology, the relationship between nature and contemporary society, feminism and the art in public space. Between September 13 and October 31, 2019, the festival hosts performances, contemporary dance representations, photography exhibitions, conferences, workshops and multimedia installations in Bucharest, Craiova and Piatra Neamt.
The Anthropology premiere, signed by Mårten Spångberg, opens the series of events within eXplore festival #14 on Friday and Saturday, September 13 – 14, at WASP Working Art Space and Production. The choreographic creation has been developed within “Nights like this / Leaking realities” project, co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration, and aims to create and extend the understanding around the relations between ecology and art, especially between climate change and dance. The performance will be presented later within an European tour in France, Sweden, Norway and other European countries. On September 14, Mårten Spångberg will also perform 46, within a continuous research process on the autonomous existence of dance.
Photo credit: Mårten Spångberg
On September 20 – 21, the Romanian artist currently living and working in Berlin, Sergiu Matiș, invites the public in Bucharest to the Extinction Room (Hopeless.) premiere, a performative multi-channel sound installation consisting of recordings of extinct and endangered bird species. The art work explores the idea of nature in Western society and its representation in artistic and cultural products, at a time when climate change specialists have given us permission to panic. After the project’s presentation in Berlin, in August, and the premiere at eXplore festival, in Bucharest (at WASP Working Art Space and Production), Piatra Neamt (September 24, within the Theatre Festival) and Craiova (September 27, at the Art Museum), Sergiu Matiș has been commissioned by Europalia Romania 2019 Festival to present the premiere of a performative audio version of Extinction Room (Hopeless.) at BOZAR Brussels within Brancusi: Sublimation of Form exhibition, in October 2019. The art work will also be presented in September 2020, in Berlin, within Tanznacht.
The American choreographer based in France DD Dorvillier participates at eXplore festival #14 with No Change, or “freedom is a psycho-kinetic skill” (2005) performance, on September 27, at WASP – Working Art Space and Production. Commissioned in 2005 by Danspace Project (New York) as part of the Out-of-Space series, the performance represents a pivotal moment in the choreographer’s artistic trajectory and marks an important conceptual and aesthetic shift in her creative approach. The piece has been considered a reference for the artist’s later works, being also presented at ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival in August 2019.
Photo credit: Karolina Miernik
On September 28, the festival’s program continues at WASP with the art installation and performance Dead Poets High Society, created by Mugur Grosu. The installation, which presents the texts written by 22 contemporary poets who passed away in the last 25 years, is completed by a performance with live music, improvisations and recitals composed by the writings of the 22 writers.
On October 4, the public is invited to the Remote Proximity video installation, signed by the visual artist Ciprian Ciuclea, and the guided tour of the two exhibitioncoordinated by artist Iosif Király: HEROES WERE PEOPLE JUST LIKE US. From selfie to monument and Visible X Invisible, on October 5, at WASP.
On October 11, the artist Veda Popovici presents the Body in Adversity performance, which investigates the production conditions and effects of a performance series which took place within some feminist protests from 2011 until today, involving dozens of activists, artists and solidary people.
On October 12, Romanian artists Marilena Preda Sânc and Matei Bejenaru invite the public to Brancovenesti Palace in Mogoșoaia, for an engaging discussion about the human-nature relationship and its reflection in the Eco Art works (Marilena Preda Sânc), as well as the personal performing projects in the public space (Matei Bejenaru).
In the evening of October 12, the public’s attention is drawn to the multimedia installations created by Alice Feraru, Corina Rafael and Mircea Hristescu, within the residence program Life Long Burning – Towards A Sustainable Eco-System for Contemporary Dance in Europe, which supports the production and presentation of new multidisciplinary projects. This is a multiannual project co-financed by the European Union, within the Creative Europe Programme. Artists Veda Popovici and Mugur Grosu have been also invited by the 4Culture Association to develop new projects at WASP – Working Art Space and Production, within Life Long Burning 2019.
The festival continues on October 13 with the MONUMENT 0.8: Manifestations presentation, following a concept and artistic direction proposed by artist Eszter Salamon, in collaboration with Marilena Preda Sânc. Manifestations is a performative, visual and sound collage that animates an emancipatory space by interweaving traces of the Romanian history of feminism, artistic gestures and female perspectives in the history of painting and traditional music. The performance will be followed by an after-talk with the artists Eszter Salamon, Marilena Preda Sânc and their guests.
Photo credit: Lia Perjovschi
Signed by Manuel Pelmuș, the ongoing action in I’m just a stone – A Luxury That We Can’t Afford (Wisdom of the Earth) starts from a less-known sculpture of Constantin Brancusi, Sculpture for the Blind (1920), along with an “immaterial” version of the Wisdom of the Earth (1907). The work will be presented on October 25 and 26 at the National Museum of Geology in Bucharest, and Craiova Art Museum on October 29 and 30. The premiere of A Luxury That We Can’t Afford (Wisdom of the Earth) will take place at the beginning of October at the Centre for Fine Arts Brussels – BOZAR, on the occasion of Brancusi: Sublimation of Form exhibition, within Europalia Art Festival, 2019.
eXplore festival #14 ends on October 31, in Bucharest, with the premiere of ABYSS documentary film, created by the artist Matei Bejenaru. The visual poem has as a starting point the enigmatic personality of the artist Irinel Liciu, prima ballerina at the Romanian Opera in Bucharest in the 50’s – 60’s. The film approaches general humanist themes, such as love and devotion, as well as the condition of the artist who makes fundamental decisions in his or her life. The premiere will be followed by an after-talk with the film director and his guests.
eXplore festival #14
Bucharest International Contemporary Dance and Performance Festival
▪️ 13.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
▪️ 14.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
Mårten Spångberg: Anthropology
With and by:
Sidney Barnes, Maria Baroncea, Vlad Benescu, Karolina Kraczkowska, Emmilou Rößling, Mårten Spångberg
Premiere / Contemporary dance
Tickets: www.mystage.ro, www.eventbook.ro
▪️ 14.09.2019 // Secret location, Bucharest // 15:00 – 15:30
Mårten Spångberg: 46
Contemporary dance / solo performance
Free entrance / Reservations: contact@waspmagazine.com
▪️ 20.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
▪️ 21.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
Sergiu Matiș: Extinction Room (Hopeless.)
With: Lisa Densem, Sergiu Matiș, Orlando Rodriguez
Premiere / Performative sound installation
Tickets: www.mystage.ro, www.eventbook.ro
▪️ 24.09.2019 // „Ceahlăul“ Sports Club, Piatra Neamț, Theatre Festival in Piatra-Neamț // 19:00 – 21:00
Sergiu Matiș: Extinction Room (Hopeless.)
With: Lisa Densem, Sergiu Matiș, Orlando Rodriguez
Performative sound installation
Tickets: http://www.ftpn.ro
▪️ 27.09.2019 / Craiova Art Museum, Craiova // 10:00 – 17:00
Sergiu Matiș: Extinction Room (Hopeless.)
With: Lisa Densem, Sergiu Matiș, Orlando Rodriguez
Performative sound installation
Access is based on the entrance ticket to the museum
▪️ 27.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 20:30
DD Dorvillier: No Change, or “freedom is a psycho-kinetic skill”
Concept: DD Dorvillier
With: DD Dorvillier, Elizabeth Ward, Nicolas Barrot
Performance / Contemporary dance
Tickets: www.mystage.ro, www.eventbook.ro
▪️ 28.09.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
Mugur Grosu: Dead poets high society
Art installation, performance, poemusic
Tickets: www.mystage.ro, www.eventbook.ro
▪️ 04.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
Ciprian Ciuclea: Remote Proximity
Video Installation / Free entrance
▪️ 05.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:00
Iosif Király: Heroes Were People Just Like Us & Visible X invisible
Photo & video – exhibitions guided tour / Free entrance
▪️ 11.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 20:30
Veda Popovici: Body in Adversity
Performance lecture / Free entrance
▪️ 12.10.2019 // Brancovenesti Palaces Cultural Center, Mogoșoaia // 11:00 – 14:00
Marilena Preda Sânc: ECO PUBLIC ART in ROMANIA
Matei Bejenaru: SITUATIONS / Performative personal projects in the public space
Performance lectures and dialogue with the audience / Free entrance
▪️ 12.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:30
Mircea Hristescu, Alice Feraru, Corina Rafael
Multimedia installations / Free entrance
▪️ 13.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 22:00
Eszter Salamon in collaboration with Marilena Preda-Sânc: Monument 0.8: Manifestations
Contemporary Dance
Aftertalk: Eszter Salamon, Marilena Preda-Sânc & guests
Free entrance // Reservations: contact@waspmagazine.com
▪️ 25.10.2019 // National Museum of Geology, Bucharest // 13:00 – 15:00
▪️ 26.10.2019 // National Museum of Geology, Bucharest // 13:00 – 15:00
Manuel Pelmuș: I’m just a stone – A Luxury That We Can’t Afford (Wisdom of the Earth) – ongoing action
Concept: Manuel Pelmuș, with: Cristina Toma, Maria F. Scaroni
Access is based on the entrance ticket to the museum
▪️ 29.10.2019 // Art Museum Craiova // 15:00 – 17:00
▪️ 30.10.2019 // Art Museum Craiova // 15:00 – 17:00
Manuel Pelmuș: A Luxury That We Can’t Afford (Wisdom of the Earth)
Concept: Manuel Pelmuș, with: Cristina Toma, Maria F. Scaroni
Access is based on the entrance ticket to the museum
▪ 31.10.2019 // WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest // 19:30 – 21:00
Matei Bejenaru: ABYSS
Premiere / Documentary film, video-art
Aftertalk: Matei Bejenaru & special guests
Free entrance
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Locations
- WASP Working Art Space and Production – 67 – 93 Ion Minulescu Street, E Building, 2nd Floor, 3rd District, Bucharest
- Brâncovenești Palaces Cultural Center – 1 Valea Parcului Street, Mogoșoaia
- The National Museum of Geology – 2 Kiseleff Blvd, Bucharest
- Craiova Art Museum – 15 Unirii Road, Craiova
- The Theatre Festival in Piatra Neamț, Ceahlăul Sports Club – 53 Ștefan cel Mare Street, Piatra-Neamț
Producers: 4Culture Association and WASP Studios
Cultural project co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN)
The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or the way the project results can be used. This is entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.
Partners: Balassi Institute – The Hungarian Institute in Bucharest, Piatra Neamț Youth Theater, Brancovenesti Palaces Cultural Center, Geological Institute of Romania – National Museum of Geology, Craiova Art Museum
Media partners: Radio Romania Cultural, Modernism, Zeppelin, ARTA Magazine, Designist, Feeder, IQads, Romania Pozitiva
