Liisa Pentti +Co & Sirius Teatern: Fraudulent Light – and the Epidemy of Oblivion

About

Fraudulent Light – and the Epidemy of Oblivion is an experimental dance theatre piece. It is based on the idea of the present illuminated from all directions, as a pastless and ghostless space without protective darkness, as presented by art history professor Jonathan Crary in his book 24/7 (2013).

“A 24/7 world is a disenchanted one in its eradication of shadows and obscurity and of alternate temporalities. It is a world identical to itself, a world with the shallowest of pasts, and thus in principle without specters. But the homogeneity of the present is an effect of the fraudulent brightness that presumes to extend everywhere and to preempt any mystery or unknowability. A 24/7 world produces an apparent equivalence between what is immediately available, accessible, or utilizable and what exists.”

The artistic starting points of the piece are Pina Bausch's classic choreographies 1980 - ein Stück von Pina Bausch (1980) and Walzer (1982). From these foundations, Fraudulent Light emerges as a 'ghost theatre': it is loosely based on already existing forms and ideas of performing arts, on what has existed for a long time. Nine performers surrender to the fraudulent light and oblivion in a work that focuses on the ambiguity, ecstasy and love of being human.

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