“Unsichtbarst” at Theater is a Must – Alexandria (postponed)
Egypt, Alexandria
We are glad to have Swiss dancer and choreographer Anna Huber in Egypt, presenting her solo “Unsichtbarst” at Theater is a Must forum in Alexandria.
seeing and being seen
who is looking at whom
show / perform / hide
be exposed
deform forms
mirror images
wishful dreams / nightmares / visual spaces
The solo unsichtbarst questions and examines the situation of performing and spectating, seeing and being seen, exposing and hiding. Who is looking at whom?
Displayed on a mirrored floor and constantly observed from all sides, the moving body evolves into a living sculpture that transforms, questions itself continually, must redefine itself and loses itself repeatedly. Can form dissolve or burst? How much control do we need to not lose ourselves? Layer by layer the fluent borders between private being, public person, stage personality and art figure are made visible. Like in a kaleidoscope various facets of a person appear and disappear, mirroring transformations between different physical and emotional states and intensities and shifting between control, doubt and loss of control.
The body deforms and disintegrates in front of the spectator’s eyes. What and how much do we reveal of ourselves? What do we hide? How unprotected, how vulnerable can we present ourselves? Challenged with different expectations, habits, norms and rules we construct facades, play roles, hide behind masks. We apparently need this protection and simultaneously there is the desire to break through the facades and drop the masks.
How did the image of oneself and its representation change through the omnipresent presence of self-mirroring by “selfies” and the sharing of intimate details or banal situations on social media? Did with the digital self-image and its representation sense of shame and embarrassment shift? What stays behind an apparently perfect surface? What remains behind the image that we present to others and ourselves?
unsichtbarst has premiered in 1998 at the Museum for Contemporary Art Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin and confirmed Anna Huber’s reputation as an extraordinary choreographer and outstanding dancer. The solo has been performed till 2008 on numerous international festivals in Europe, Tokyo, New Delhi, Manila, Singapore, Biennale de la Danse Lyon, International Dance Festival Kalamata, KKL Luzern and is re-staged 2018/19 twenty years after its premiere under new perspectives and contexts.
unsichtbarst² is a complex embodied and sensitive re-membering and re-visiting of the acclaimed work, embracing transformation and transition with refined facets of movement, depth of expression and imagination. Dealing and moving within different challenges reflects the potential as a mature dancer opening up new possibilities, freedom and subtle humour. The square restricted and mirroring metal floor entirely exposed to the viewer’s eyes from all sides literally reflects concrete borders as well as the mirror as an image for the potential of transformation and a constantly changing intimate look at oneself and others.
“The dancer as a figure of art, constantly calling her own existence into question. Anna Huber plays on forms of self-perception in her new solo unsichtbarst. Huber takes her body art one step further. The dancer gives the impression of being some kind of contemporary art figure, not in the sense of something polished and beautiful intended to be put on display for all to admire; she seems much more like a living sculpture searching for structure with incredible precision and constantly changing and calling herself into question.” Christina Thurner, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Concept/choreography/dance: Anna Huber
Stage/light design : Thilo Reuther, Anna Huber
Music: Wolfgang Bley-Borkowski
Costume: Inge Zysk / Zuzana Ponicanova
Technique: Daniel Tschanz
Production: annahuber.compagnie.
With kind support of Kultur Stadt Bern, SWISSLOS/Kultur Kanton Bern, Burgergemeinde Bern, Stiftung Corymbo, Migros Kulturprozent
Coproduction: Ballet Preljocaj / Pavillon Noir Aix-en-Provence, artblau Tanzwerkstatt Braunschweig
Premiere: May 1998 Nationalgalerie im Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin.
With kind support of Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur Berlin, Pro Helvetia Swiss Cultural Foundation, Nationalgalerie im Hamburger Bahnhof / Museum für Gegenwart Berlin, Tanzfabrik Berlin.
