The idea of the performance is to relate video and live performance to a specific spatial situation for each version. Hiroko Tanahashi creates a video for a specific site as antagonist and set for the live performer. Hiroko first developed the project at the famous Bauhaus in Dessau Germany. There she researched and analyzed a former brewery as site. post theater saw that one of the strong points of the performance was it site-specific character, so it clearly had to be developed into a format that can be re-created in other situations. From then on, skinSITEs has been created for architectural situations in various countries and cities, including the back-stage of the Theater am Halleschen Ufer (Berlin, 2003), a former power plant Stara Electrana (Ljubljana, Slovenia, as part of the City of Women Festival 2004) or a former prison (DA2, Salamanca 2008) to name a few of the 13 locations so far.
As each space causes a different theme and each performer shapes the space in a different way, each version carries its own name. Each time local references are made in video and sound, using archival material and sources drawn from the location directly. All elements reflect the architectural, social, economical or cultural history and present situation of the building being examined. The aim of the project is to deliver a multimedia performance that presents a fundamental intervention to a specific site, taking various factors that surround it. Often, the chosen sites are places of transition with many different types of usage that left traces. Sometimes, skinSITEs helps to reconsider the usage of a building.
Since it is necessary to produce a new video and sound for each performance in each city, post theater collaborates with a local dancer / choreographer, who gives input to the project as a local expert.
Starting in 2002, skinSITEs has been presented in 13 versions in 9 countries in Europe and Asia. Hosting institutions have been theater-, dance- and performance festivals. The performers involved had trainings in contemporary dance, Butho, Khon dance or physical theater.
Premiere and Touring
I: “Olga’s Wall” Aug. 2002, Bauhaus Foundation, Dessau (Germany) , Dancer / Chreographer: Ana Vilenica
II: “THU” Apr. 2003, Theater am Halleschen Ufer, Berlin, Dancer/Chreographer: Kathinka Walter
III: “re:CURRENT” Oct. 2004, City of Women Festival, Ljubljana (Slovenia) Dancer / Choreographer: Valentina Cabro
IV: “archLive” Dec. 2004, Bangkok Fringe Festival, Bangkok (Thailand), Dancer / Choreographer: Saroche “Tim” Plackta
V: „rawHide“ Jun. 2005, Dance Week Festival, Zagreb (Croatia), Dancer / Choreographer: Selma Banich
VI: “Lager Lager“ Aug. 2005, Stromereien Festival, Zurich (Switzerland), Dancer / Choreographer: Nuria Egger
VII: „open account“ Nov. 2005, Bankart 1929, Yokohama (Japan), Dancer / Choreographer: Alice Hiiragi
VIII: „PrePhase“ Nov. 2005, YCAM, Yamaguchi (Japan), Dancer / Choreographer: Richi Owaki
IX: „Past Tune“ Feb. 2007, 228 Memorial Museum, Taipei (Taiwan), Dancer / Choreographer: Der-Fong Ke
X: „Angel Angle“ Aug. 2007, Porec Street Art Festival, Porec (Croatia), Dancer / Choreographer: Zak Valenta
XI: „cell / out“ Jun. 2008, International Festival of the Arts CyL, Salamana (Spain), Dancer / Choreographer: Alicia Soto
XII: „Cargography“, Jul. 2008, Rijeka Summer Night Festival, Rijeka (Croatia), Dancer / Choreographer: Selma Banich, Zak Valenta
XIII: “Mememto Mori”, Jan. 2011, Merkat des Flors, Barcelona (Spain), Dancer / Choreographer: Alicia Soto
Documentation
Credits
Artistic director, media art: Hiroko Tanahashi
Dramaturgy: Max Schumacher
Sound art: Sibin Vassilev
The project has been funded by the commissioning institutions / festivals.