The 2022 Stückemarkt Selection
What is the future worth (to us)? Five innovative young artists and collectives have approached this question from different angles and won over the jury with their aesthetically and substantially sophisticated works.
Bakice / Grannies
Kolektiv Igralke and Tjaša Črnigoj (Croatia/Slovenia – Project)
In their documentary performance “Bakice / Grannies”, Kolektiv Igralke and Tjaša Črnigoj focus on the demographic group in Croatia most affected by poverty: women over the age of 65. The four performers talk about security, (in)equality, inclusion and dignity, about work, ageing and the female precariat. The stories of the four “Grannies” blend in with the biographies of their own grandmothers and their personal future prospects, almost casually demonstrating that these are global stories that have to be told.
Kolektiv Igralke and Tjaša Črnigoj
© Milica Czerny Urban (Kolektiv Igralke), Rromir Imami (Tjaša Črnigoj)
Eric Marlin
© Jon Wes
AirSpace or In the Next Century
Eric Marlin (USA – Text)
In Eric Marlin’s absurd tragicomedy “AirSpace or In the Next Century”, his protagonist Susannah travels to Romania where she takes up a new position as a consultant. More and more, the outside world merges with her office world and Susannah’s personal life can no longer be separated from her job. Over the course of the play, a Western, globalised and commercialised world is revealed, which keeps turning unpredictably and actually only revolves around itself. Marlin creates a virtuoso language and form that gradually distort the realistic setting established in the beginning.
Circle Hasu We plant seeds in the spring of mountains
Aine Nakamura (Japan/Germany/USA – Project)
“Circle hasu We plant seeds in the spring of the mountains” is a series of solo performances by Aine Nakamura. She develops a language of her own, using onomatopoetic descriptions to evoke the blending of cultural connections and constraints between Japan and the US that manifest in her person. With great concentration and dedication, she interweaves transnationality, experiences of discrimination and female physicality with the indomitable temporality and rhythm of nature.
Aine Nakamura
© Takaaki Asai
ruth tang
© Nathaniel Johnson
FUTURE WIFE
ruth tang (Singapore/USA/New Zealand– Text)
In the world that ruth tang outlines in “FUTURE WIFE”, the only couple relationships left are between women and goats. The goats can be rescued by female workers at the abattoir just before they are slaughtered – as long as there is a spark of love between them. Activist aliens demand freedom for all animals, pirates ponder over a fair distribution of wealth and the choir of goats reads “Das Kapital” in their book club. tang’s bizarre comedy tackles processes of exploitation and oppression and tells us exactly what knives have to do with capitalism.
And I dreamt I was drowning
Amanda Wilkin (England – Text)
Amanda Wilkin’s play “And I dreamt I was drowning” tells the story of Kiya and Daniel, who are threatened by discrimination and oppression in their home country and desperately try to cross the water to get to Europe. Kiya would do anything to get there. Daniel would do anything to be with Kiya. If we have to lose ourselves to arrive in a better future, is the journey worth it? With “And I dreamt I was drowning”, Wilkin has created an intense text that brings up painful questions of our times.
Amanda Wilkin
© Helen Murray