Second letter from Sophie De Somere and Barbara Raes

15.12.2020
by Sophie De Somere & Barbara Raes

The name Herman Horyon was in all Flemish media in April this year. The 81-year-old man from Lummen suddenly became world famous in Flanders because he put a sign in his garden: "COHABITING FOR FREE. ONLY FOR WOMEN. WITHOUT CHILDREN. " That sign was speaking out loud, so it didn't take long for the assembled press to arrive at his door, and even less time before mankind had to make fun of Herman and his sign. But the core of his soul was painfully on the street: his invisible loneliness suddenly became very visible.

Loneliness is a little quiet, there is still a form of shame around today. Loneliness is a little hidden: we often can neither see nor talk about it. The world today is full of forced loneliness. We fantasized about being Herman's neighbor. And that we would put a sign “I LISTEN” outside. And then sit daily in the front garden, listen, on a chair, with a cup of warmth. And that it wouldn't cost us any effort. And no time either. Only between-time to be able to sit still and listen to this Herman and all other Hermans in this world.

On the 15^th of October: Sophie De Somere and Barbara Raes did the project ›I Listen‹ in the city of Essen.

›I Listen‹ is an interactive performance in the city about consolation and resistance. In the light of human finitude and the universal need to search for solace, ›I listen‹ brings the most modest form of consolation into the city. This straightforward way of listening transforms the social framework of talking and listening into a form of creative resistance and open activism.

Fellowships

Protektox Impossible Forest [5.4.9] Tanznacht Berlin (2020) Foto: Gosia Lehmann

A letter by Protektorama toxica (cared for by J.P. Raether)

Dear particles of Protektox 5.4.9, it was wonderful to encounter you-as-us in the Impossible Forest on September 13th. I-as-us hope the relation to me-as-an artificial witch still resonates with you-as-you. It certainly does for me-as-witch because the moment of my-as-our becoming a formation is how I-as-us exist in the real.

Fellowships

A letter from Claire Vivianne Sobottke, Maria Francesca Scaroni & Tian Rotteveel

Claire Vivianne Sobottke, Maria Francesca Scaroni & Tian Rotteveel are currently fellows at PACT. How did they experience the last weeks and how did this shape their collaboration? »During the last months, where life, relationships and work changed radically as a consequence of COVID, we were both inspired and forced to come up with alternative ways of meeting, researching and of creating mutual support in times of crisis*. Not able to touch, meeting outside became our working room.«

Fellowships

A letter from Sophie De Somere & Barbara Raes

During the time of the Corona crisis Sophie De Somere and Barbara Raes reflected on the notion of ›being with‹ and forms of care: “Being with” involves allowing yourself to be touched by the joys, sorrows and sadness of another. To be touched by external circumstances. We learned to “be with” during these months of pandemic crisis. It highly influenced our fellowhip at PACT, not only in the impossibility, but more overly in the potential to research how we could turn this dramatic period into something filled with radical hope.

Fellowships

Nathan Fain in The Agency, ›Boys Space‹, © Photo: Judith Buss

Threads of ›TechnoPoesis‹ – Letter

Johannes Paul Raether's aLifveForms and Nathan Fain are currently Fellows at PACT. In their letter they share an insight to their collaboration process and its thematic threads: »As part of the process of ﬁnding a common language between our artistic practices, we have started to situate our work as a grouping of threads that can be seen as collaborative methods which create a shared vector space. In some corners of this multi-dimensional space tangible outcomes may be blatantly noticeable, while in other areas the intersection of thematics seem distant making material outcomes elusive.«

Fellowships

ARTIST SUMMIT Publication

The artists’ group HOOD invited 30 dance practitioners to take part in a nine-day critical exchange at Zollverein – the ARTIST SUMMIT in the frame of the Dance Platform in Germany 2018. To give an insight into the event, HOOD created a publication which documents the material and immaterial outcomes of the encounter.

Fellowships

Interview towards the project ›Whistle While You Work‹

We talked to Robyn Doty und Frances Chiaverini who initiated the project ›Whistle While You Work‹, a social justice project bringing awareness to sexism and abuses of power in the fields of dance and performance.

Residencies Fellowships

Cyril Baldy during his residency at PACT.

#ResidencyInsights: Cyril Baldy

Cyril Baldy, member of the HOOD collective, freelance choreographer and dancer, is currently in residency at PACT.

1/2/8 Fellowships

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Atelier Spezial: ›1/2/8 – Demanding Responses‹

Wie lassen sich Wissen und Handeln verknüpfen, neue Formen der Kollaboration finden?

Im Dezember haben wir die Forschungsresidenz ›1/2/8 – Demanding Responses‹ mit unserem beliebten Atelier-Format verbunden und euch einen Abend lang Talks & Performances erkunden lassen.

Mit Work Hard! Play Hard! working group, Nicholas Bussmann, Michael Guggenheim, André Alves, Hannah Hurtzig, Pedro Rocha & Wandering Dunes, Danae Theodoridou, Matthias Planitzer, FORMATIONS und HOOD!

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