In Transit

In Transit
Haus der Kulturen der Welt
John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10
10557 Berlin
Germany
Phone: (49) 30-39-7870
Phone/fax: (49) 30-39-48679
Email: info@hkw.de

IN TRANSIT 09 – “Resistance of the Object”
What if an object could speak? Moreover, what if an object could speak back – and through its unexpected claiming of sovereignty and will, open up a whole new way for us to understand and to create performances? “Resistance of the Object” is the theme for IN TRANSIT 09. This phrase emphasizes the recent and increasingly visible phenomenon in the performing arts of exploring the fine line between objecthood and subjectivity. Thus, much of the theater, body art, dance, performance, video, installation and lectures presented during the 10 days of the festival directly address the current centrality of objects in performance. Sometimes playfully, sometimes cruelly, artists from five continents will explore how subjects become objects, objects become subjects, and how neither can escape the call to act. “Resistance of the Object” is a phrase drawn directly from the work of US performance and critical theorist Fred Moten — a guest throughout IN TRANSIT 09 and who will open the lecture series. Moten’s work reminds us how colonialism and capitalism in its past and current racisms and modes of subjectivation are both predicated on systematic, pervasive, and institutional reduction of entire human populations to the condition of objects. Yet, even when reduced to objecthood, resistance has happened and continues to happen — particularly through performances that can only be called: radical. I hope you will enjoy this edition of IN TRANSIT – since joy is essential to any resistant act.
—André Lepecki, Curator

Full program available at the festival web site
http://www.hkw.de/en/programm2009/

http://www.hkw.de