PERFORMA.TV

For Performa 11, Liz Magic Laser will present a new mixed-media performance, I Feel Your Pain, that will restage America’s recent political contests as a romantic drama. Drawing on a variety of agitprop theater tactics, particularly the Russian Constructivist idea of a “living newspaper,” the performance will examine how emotion is used to establish authenticity on America’s political stage. Staged in a movie theater, I Feel Your Pain will take place simultaneously in the midst of the audience and on the cinema’s screen. Eight actors will perform a sequence of scenes that will trace the progression of a romantic relationship in adapted dialogues taken from political interviews and press conferences with Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, amongst others. Borrowing elements from historic “living newspaper” productions, the performance will feature live voice-overs, pantomime fight scenes, and mute commentaries by a clown. As the actors perform, live film from two cinematographers in the audience will be projected onto the screen as a continuous feed, with Laser acting as a real-time editor, choosing camera angles for the audience to see. I Feel Your Pain features actors Lynn Berg, Audrey Crabtree, Ray Field, Annie Fox, Kathryn Grody, Rafael Jordan, Liz Micek, and Ryan Shams. The video will be made with producer David Guinan and cinematographers Matthew Nauser and Collin Kornfeind of Polemic Media; costume stylist Felicia Garcia-Rivera; production assistants Lucia Hinojosa, Jamie Kelly, Boman Modine and Rose Swan. The script includes editorial contributions from Scott Indrisek, Wendy Osserman, Jess Wilcox and Tom Williams.

For Performa 11, artist Ragnar Kjartansson presents a a twelve-hour long performance, entitled Bliss, that will repeat the delirious final aria of Mozart’s 1786 opera The Marriage of Figaro. In the final act of this opera, the Count asks the Countess' forgiveness for his arrogant blunders, which she grants, inspiring the entire court to celebrate. Kjartansson’s performance will replicate the lavishness of traditional opera with a full orchestra, elaborate scenery, and period costumes, and will feature renowned Icelandic tenor Kristján Jóhannsson and a group of Icelandic opera singers, as well as the artist himself, continuously replaying the two-minute musical, visual, and narrative pinnacle of the opera, approaching a euphoric state for performers and listeners alike. During the 12 hours the audience is welcome to wander in and out of the performance.

A unique live cinematic and musical event, Tales from the Gimli Hospital: Reframed pairs acclaimed filmmaker Guy Maddin’s classic first feature film with a live performance—directed by Maddin himself—of a new score created by composer Matthew Patton, a superstar group of Icelandic musicians, acclaimed Seattle-based musical collective Aono Jikken Ensemble, and live electronics engineer Paul Corley. A cult sensation when it was released theatrically in 1988, the original Tales from the Gimli Hospital tells the dreamlike, elliptical story of the jealousy and madness instilled in two men sharing a hospital room in a remote Canadian village. The film first propelled Maddin to international prominence, becoming a success on the midnight movie circuit, and is now being completely transformed by this brand new performance. With dramatic new narration written by Maddin and performed in a mixture of singing and speaking by the bewitching Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir (formerly of múm, and also known as Kria Brekkan), a hauntingly gorgeous string and vocals score performed by acclaimed Icelandic musicians Gyda Valtýsdóttir (cello), Borgar Magnason (double bass), and Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir (violin), and ingenious live “Foley” sound effects plus additional musical atmosphere created by the Aono Jikken Ensemble (Willliam Satake Blauvelt, Dean Moore, and Naho Shioya), the new score takes the original Gimli in an entirely new direction, with layers upon layers of music drawn from different sources reflecting the story-within-a-story structure of the film, and an ethereal tone that draws out the darkest and most haunting elements of the film, bringing Maddin’s original artwork to life in a sublime and unexpected new way. Lead curator: Lana Wilson.

Colorado-based artist Eric Steen brings together home brewers from around the city to brew beer, share tips, sample each others creations, and learn more about the science and creativity found in home brewing. Curated by Esa Nickle.

A banquet of provocative food, wood, and porcelain sculptures inspired by unregulated financial markets, high finance and politics.

Live Performances & DJ Sets @ Red Egg, New York. Nov11th 2011. Part of Performa 11

Nov 12th, 2011 @ Recess, New York City

Raphael Zarka

Rainer Gahnal

Jonas Mekas