Ko Z Hkawng Gyung

The key elements for the performance made by this artist during Interaction were fire and pigeons. The performance he prepared was the only one to have a very strong political meaning. A native of Burma, Ko Z Hkawng Gyung had tied live pigeons to himself that were intended to be released at the end of the action. However, the line of fire that the artist walked in his shoes made of paper prevented such an ending. The fire got out of control, the artist burned his legs a little, and one of the pigeons, only thanks to the quick intervention of a person from the audience, barely escaped death. This event, unintended by the artist, gave his performance an additional meaning, built new, unexpected contexts, including political and ethical ones.

Ronaldo Ruiz

Ronaldo Ruiz made a performance with an ecological meaning. Dressed in a red jumpsuit with a gas mask over his face, he used plastic soda bottles filled with water. Ruiz lined up the bottles in a row on the brick fence separating the ODA courtyard from the adjoining property. He notched the bottles so that the water flowing out of them ran down the fence onto the grass. When the artist cut the last bottle, he took off the mask and came to a bicycle attached to an openwork container with the inscription PLASTIK containing empty plastic packages. The bike was partially wrapped in a transparent spring in a way that immobilized it. At the end, the artist collided his body with spaces that could be considered utilitarian, but not suitable for functioning in them: he entered the basement, put his head in a small window. By performing specific activities and using props, he juxtaposed the ecological space (water, a bicycle associated with a healthy lifestyle) with the "civilization" one: a container for plastic waste, a basement, a gas mask. In his interpretation, the ecological space has definitely lost.

Hubert Wińczyk

Hubert Wińczyk presented a performance during which the artist generated sounds live. The audience was treated to pieces of "bubble chocolate", which while eating, melting in the mouth, produces a crackling sound. Through the use of music, distribution of chocolate to the audience and the smell of incense in the room, the action resembled a kind of ritual.

Mehdi Farajpour

The second performance prepared for Interactions was made by the artist in the ODA courtyard. As in the previous action, he created a rather picturesque picture: painted white, the almost naked artist sat on a bench, making only slight movements. The scene could be considered idyllic were it not for the fact that the head, hand and foot were kept in golden bird cages. Compared to the performance on the second day of the festival, it was much more static and poetic.

Natalia Sekuła

The performer used well-known school props: a bench, a bag, notebooks, and coal. However, the field of operation was not limited to the bench and the items unpacked on it. The young artist used what can be called "youth energy", painting with charcoal on the wall, cutting trouser legs, thus performing activities that do not fit into the norms of common behavior. She also reacted with the audience by throwing a ball at the audience and expecting a reaction to her gesture.

NONGRATA

The second performance by Non Grata, like the one on the previous day of the festival, was based on the energy of anarchy and consisted in destroying a car. Here, the division into viewers and performers was definitely abolished - anyone could join the action, which was done very quickly by the curator of this year's edition - Arti Grabowski. Interestingly, the inhabitants of Piotrków who witnessed the event were indirectly involved in this performance (the performance took place in the public space, in the parking lot in front of the Trybunalski Hotel). Their reaction was rather panicky than enthusiastic - the driver of one of the passing cars was so surprised (and probably terrified) that he ran into a nearby pole.

Jason Lim

The artist appeared as a special guest, because in May and June he was in Lublin for a study visit. His performance was rather sparing. The artist has surrounded the place of action with a transparent tape. The main elements were a chair, glasses and a small candle. Lim set a chair on the glasses, then tried to sit on it. Then he slowly crushed the glassware, rubbing them against each other. The action was accompanied by a certain tension all the time, strengthened by a high, piercing sound coming from the buzzers attached to the tape surrounding the scene.

Jeff Huckleberry

Jeff Huckleberry's activity can be classified as an exercise performance based on the possibilities of the body - in this case the body of above-average height and stature. The artist's main props were wooden, shallow boxes, logs stuck together, beer and coffee. First, the artist tried to stuff as many bottles of beer as possible into his trouser pockets and around his waistband. Of course, some of them fell to the floor and smashed. Then he showered himself with coffee, kneeling in front of one of the audience members. Then he rolled on the floor, doused with black and white paint. In the last part he tried to separate two stuck logs. The whole action was a specific struggle with matter, struggling with what is resisting. The artist played an ironic game with the concept of masculinity - before and after the exhausting action he measured the length of his penis.

 

Anka Leśniak, Karolina Jabłońska

www.lodz-art.eu

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