Descent

Tomaž Simatović & András Meszerics
in collaboration with Mirjam Stadler

“To descend: an act of moving downwards, dropping, or falling; a downward slope; a moral, social, or psychological decline; the origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality; the transmission of qualities, property, or privileges by inheritance; an unexpected visit; a sudden violent attack.”
In the frame of the Hallstatt AIR, the performance project Descent reflects on the complexities behind domestic violence. The interest to work with the topic of domestic violence emerged in response to conversations with local artists, cultural and social workers. The concern of the project has been to deal with the topic of violence choreographically, through kinaesthesia and listening. What kind of body emerges under the roof of domestic violence?
With emphasis on movement research, the three artists focused on exploring tensions between spontaneity and restrictions. The performance is envisioned as a form of public ritual in the barn of Grub castle. The structure of this abandoned site represents a space for collective listening and contemplation of three bodies. The original music for this work is composed and performed by András Meszerics. The music has been recorded live on the Dachstein Krippenstein, and played with bare hands on a metal rod of the Heilbronn Chapel Memorial, using movements of hitting, scratching, and petting.

(c) FS1 Salzburg