In recent months, an intense dialogue has developed between visual artist Richard Jackson and the theater collective SKaGen. This resulted in 'Till it's over', a depiction of civil war, tenderness and vengeance.
Excerpt from a rehearsal process (January 16, 2019):
[…] We are currently investigating images of, and entrances to, the given civil war. This time we would like to work without text. We are curious about the impact that this method can have on our sensitivity. Perhaps we can get closer to empathy with our bodies. The body is naive, cannot lie. […]
In the meantime, we talk to Richard Jackson every day. We send him messages while he is sleeping, he is busy while we are resting. We sometimes meet in what is late afternoon for us. Then we exchange ideas, experiences, and sensitivities. Richard always comes up surprisingly. His imagination challenges us. We send him images that keep us busy: piles of clothes from the Rwandan civil war, an abandoned child with a bag of hugs in Aleppo, a group of researchers in isolating white suits (they visit a disaster area, their suits suggest they don't want to damage the destroyed site and that they want to protect themselves - protect against what?).
Richard reacts imaginatively and with a lot of humor. He talks about a cartoonish bomb that causes a paint explosion. We browse through his oeuvre full of playful violence, or violent playfulness. Richard sent the message last night that he is looking at images of Picasso's Guernica. He relates to the history of his discipline.
he softness of our communication reflects the tenderness with which we want to start this theme. Tenderness is one of our entry points to the violence that we do not fully understand. The need for tenderness is contained in a tender gesture. Where does this need come from? What in our bodies is hungry, wants to be comforted? How is our hand empty and does it want to bridge a gap in the caress? […]
Practical information:
- Sunday 26 May 2019 at 4 pm
- In English
- Reservation is possible via reservation@smak.be.
- Access is free for those who attended the performance and with a museum ticket. A conference card gives access to several conferences or become a Friend of S.M.A.K. and visit the museum as often as you like.
