3 performance:

Work in progress. Third try

Time:

April 10, 2021. Duration: 80 min.

Place:

Neue Nachbarschaft // Moabit (Berlin, Germany)

Protocol:

The third performance took place in the basement of the Neue Nachbarschaft // Moabit culture center as part of a ten-day residency in Berlin. In addition to the project team, there were four spectators and a dog in the room. Since all of them were well acquainted with the situation in Belarus, Igor Shugaleev shortened the introductory part and quite soon to a “Stretched” position. In this version of the performance, he stood facing the glass so the audience could see the screen through the glass. The timer was projected on the side, so the performer couldn’t see the remaining time. In five minutes right after the act started one of the spectators asked if it was possible to stop the artist’s suffering - she left the basement as soon as she received a negative answer. One more spectator left the room immediately explaining herself with an unwillingness to witness self-torture. Igor continued to talk about the features of the performance and his personal motivation despite there being only two people left in the room. Later on the third spectator left the basement, but the fourth one, with the dog, watched the act till the end: she was slowly moving around the performer supporting him. At the end of the act a quite burning discussion took place: spectators who had previously left the basement expressed their criticism about the danger of duplicating the image of violence, about the powerlessness of the audience, and the necessity for more sparing informing or story-telling.

Quote:

“I’ve got a tremendous experience: the reaction of the audience, on the one hand, confirmed my fears about the traumatic participation I “invited” them in, on the other hand, the progressive criticism of the spectators gave a qualitative stimulus for the development and refinement of the project concept. Emotionally it was the most difficult performance ” – Igor Shugaleev –