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nothing's for something
The starting point for Heine Avdal and Yukiko Shinozaki is that all elements of a performance comments on each other in a non-hierarchical system, as nodes in a computer network – as in an interface. Performer, audience, sound, light, scenography, and various objects are all positioned on the same level of meaning. The audience must put together a user manual for the room as they enter. All this was especially evident in the performance series “Field Works”; where the audience was invited into general semi-public spaces, such as hotel and office environments. Small shifts in daily life reality created crucial changes, that created dreamlike, sometimes absurd in-between worlds.
Art has traditionally produced things that we like to watch or want to see. In contrast, “nothing’s for something” embark upon the process of uncovering the reality behind the visible world. The visible is only an isolated part of all that exist, and strength for art is to reveal more latent realities. You could say that contemporary art neither is to be read or understood, but succeeds when it creates energies. Inspired by the epoch-making Paul Klee, who danced while he painted, by Rainer Maria Rilke, the perfectionist of process and form, and the master of daily life stories, Georges Perec; “nothing’s for something” makes visible unexposed moments of life. It also comprises the challenge of transferring their experiences with audiences from location based projects to, and testing this out on a wider audience and adhering to the codes of a ‘normal’ theatre location.
- About Heine Avdal
Heine Avdal studied dance, choreography and video at the Oslo National College of the Arts in Norway and at P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels. He has worked as a performer for various companies in Norway. In 1997-2001 he worked with Meg Stuart’s company Damaged Goods, collaborating with Gary Hill, Ann Hamilton and Stefan Pucher. Since 2000 he has been frequently collaborating with Yukiko Shinozaki. In recent projects, his focus has been on the distribution of space. He questions how spatial conventions affect the way we experience and move through private/public spaces. Considering people’s preconceptions of spatial conventions and through slight shifts, or manipulations he searches for unexpected intersections between different components of a space. In this context, Avdal also questions how technology is being used or, can be used in acquiring new meanings, and perceptions on the human body and on our daily surroundings. He investigates the blurred distinction between what is artificial and what is organic, by integrating different technologies in such a way that they become charged with presences, acquiring some kind of human quality. During the last 10 years he has produced and created 12 different performance pieces. He is currently touring internationally his last creations: “you are here, Field Works-hotel” and “Field Works-office”.
- About Yukiko Shinozaki
Yukiko Shinozaki’s work focuses on internal complexities and contradictions of the body. The process of transformation takes an important role in her movement vocabulary: through subtle shifts and manipulations, familiar actions slowly transform into an unfamiliar realm/landscape. She considers artistic collaborations as an important factor in her work and she consciously integrates coincidental elements that arrive in encounters with different artists and situations. She mainly works in an intuitive way, yet she is also fascinated by something beyond her imagination. After studying classical ballet in Tokyo, Shinozaki moved to the U.S. She has studied contemporary dance and psychology at Portland State University. After graduating, she lived in New York working as a freelance dancer as well as showing her solo works at various venues. Since 1997 she has been living in Brussels and has worked with Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods. In 2000 Shinozaki started to collaborate with Heine Avdal and one year later she co-founded the production structure deepblue together with Christoph De Boeck and Heine Avdal. She is currently touring internationally his last creations: “you are here”, “Field Works-hotel” and “Field Works-office”.
- Credits
Concept and direction: Heine Avdal and Yukiko Shinozaki, created and performed by: Heine Avdal, Taka Shamoto, Yukiko Shinozaki and Oleg Soulimenko, sound design and electronics: Fabrice Moinet, lighting design and technical direction: Hans Meijer, drawing and graphic: Brynjar Åbel Bandlien and Christelle Fillod, dramaturge: Marianne Van Kerkhoven (Kaaitheater), creative assistant: Saori Miyazawa, electronic assistant: Matthieu Virot and Johann Loiseau, technical support: Culture Crew, music: The Blue Danube – Johann Strauss, production: fieldworks vzw, Heine Avdal, co-production: Kaaitheater (Brussels) APAP Network Kunstencentrum, and Buda (Kortrijk), BIT-Teatergarasjen (Bergen) STUK (Leuven), in collaboration with: WP Zimmer (Antwerp), Netwerk (Aalst), Vooruit (Ghent), MDT (Stockholm), Black Box Teater (Oslo), Teaterhuset Avantgarden (Trondheim) , and INKONST (Malmø), support: Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, Norsk Kulturråd, Fond For Lyd og Bilde, and Fond for Utøvende Kunstnere. With the support of the DEPARTS network. DEPARTS is funded by the European Commission, Culture program..Special thanks to: Anne-Catherine Kunz, Mikiko Sagawa, Sara Jansen, David Pledger – Dance Massive festival (Melbourne), and Urszula Dawkins.
- Publication
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- Nothing’s for something + Fieldworks office
- Heine Avdal & Yukiko Shinozaki
- 7.18 MB
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