Never can say goodbye……
Jane LeFarge Hamill, photo: Maeshelle West-Davies
Since May artists from all over have been coming to the One-Sided Story residency in Halle 14 at Spinnerei. They come from various disciplines and backgrounds, but all have one thing in common: they agree that the hardest part of the program is leaving Leipzig. Some have even decided to relocate!
Look for answers to these questions in the upcoming issue of LZ due out in March.
1. What surprised/surprises you about leipzig?
2. How was your art affected or how is it being affected?
3. What was/is your favorite hangout and why?
4. Did you or have you done any traveling while here?
5. Will you/have you come back?
Leipzig Stadtbad: next in Leipzig Ballet’s Dancing in the City’s Buildings series
With the success of Mario Schröder at the Leipzig Ballet some might be fooled into thinking he is resting on his laurels. This isn’t the case at all. He continues to create new and challenging works. Combining this with his goal to reach the people of Leipzig he has a unique series this season called “Tanz in den Häusern der Stadt” where he is creating site-specific work in private rooms, museums and shops.
It is unusual to dance or view dance in these places. Part of the experience is the context. How do we see dance when it is outside the Oper? Does it make it more personal? Does it make it less artistically valuable? How does it change the dialogue between the choreographer and the viewer? How does it affect our role in the work?
At first thought architecture is static, but when we have a closer look we see it as almost malleable. It is constantly changing: Factors like the people inside or outside and their activities make a big difference as do sound and heat. We also see the building in different ways depending on our relationship to it. What happens in our mind when we touch it? What happens when we take the time to look at the details?
The focus of these pieces is three fold: examining the architecture itself, connecting with the audience and collaborating with people in the community.
This series has already been in Fitness First and Lehman’s book store. This Sat’s experience, entitled Obstacles, will be at the Badehaus Klinikum St. Georg at 8.00. Mario sees the bath house a traditional village, “which offers a place for recreation and meeting with visitors outside the hospital rooms….and it is an area of obstacles for the dancers.” This new way of looking at the familiar coincides with the 800 year anniversary of the hospital and shows there’s life in the old girl yet. The bath house itself was built in 1913 by Otto Wilhelm Scharenberg (1851-1920) who was a master of combining beauty and functionality. For years the building housed the Leipzig Institute of Radiology. In 2005 it was returned to its original use and currently is the home to the Physical Medicine Clinic. The central hall is its showpiece and feels like you are stepping back in time. This is where “Obstacles” will be investigated.
Stories behind forgotten walls…..
If your German is up to it there is a wonderful event happening at the Soviet Pavilion at the Alte Messe this weekend. A documentary is being shown by a group of independent film makers which tells the stories behind some of Leipzig’s beautiful ruins. These are stunning architectural spaces, tunnels and cellars which have lain dormant for the last 20 years…waiting for a fairy godmother to bring them back to life (though I do like them in their ruin form).
The première takes place on 30.03.12 at 20:00. Further showings will take place on 31.03 and 01.04 – both also at 20:00.
There will also be a photo exhibition and an after-show party.
