A research workshop on the (im)possibilities of insurrection
Residency at Impulstanz Vienna from July 18th to 22nd and August 1st to 5th, 2016
Shocked by the turmoil and violence the war of religions wreaked among France’s society in the 16th century, poet and humanist Etienne de la Boétie composes an essay in which he poses a very simple question: if we, the people, suffer from a sole dictator who holds us down and terrorizes us, why don’t we stand up against his tyranny? Are we not many more than this single man?
Yet, the essay young aristocrat and candidate of law de la Boétie writes forthwith reveals a disillusioning truth: it’s us who allow for these atrocities, for these ill-doings for we accept the fate of being oppressed by voluntarily taking on the yoke of servitude: „How would the dictator dare assail you if he had no cooperation from you?“, de la Boétie asks. It’s plain to see that the question hasn’t lost any of its relevance and urgency up to today. We know that even in so-called democracies the power is distributed unevenly; we are currently under siege from the terror of the few, threatened by warfare, money, politics the profit of which makes the rich even richer. This planet is being ruled by the rich 6% who own 60% of this world’s capital – and what can we do about that? Should we fight, go underground, should we set the palaces on fire, rob the rich, become Robin Hoods?
Boétie’s answer to that is somehow naively simple, nevertheless striking in its contemporaneity: „I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces.“ Boétie calls for passive resistance to express that the majority is not okay, is not content with the oppression, exploitation, the war that is unleashed on us.
Now, we could discuss the political plausibility or impotence of such a theory and could ponder various political theorems, practices, attempts which are in favour of or contradict such a hypothesis. This is not so much of our interest here. When it comes to theatre, the performing arts, we are interested in how to negotiate, to perform, to make visible the potency of such a text that deals with the many and the individual, the unconditional will for power and democratic attunement, the question of body politics and the politics of the body.
Ever since the first reading of the text I was haunted by the vision of a single performer reciting the text whilst walking over bodies that lay on the floor. Such a simple, but impressive image of direct impact on another one’s body. Two feet walking straight over joints, muscles, flesh, a body accusing those underneath who enable her walk by enslaving themselves, by submitting to her: what a performative paradox!
In this research workshop we were interested in trying out the possibilities of such a movement, both in terms of physio-physical research (where to step on, how to treat the body as material without hurting her etc.) and of what this movement aesthetically entails, triggers, provokes. How do these bodies that are forced down, that are being walked over, how do these bodies get up, stand up, voice there communality, if at all? What is the choreographic relation of the one who walks and talks and the ones who are rendered silent bodies? And what does this entail for what one could call our everyday ‚social choreography’?
The research workshop wanted to propose to experiment with and experience physical configurations, aesthetical practicalities, social challenges when it comes to asymmetrical power relations. Placing a social sculpture of bodies and text, we aimed at having at least 10 attendees to be curious and willing to contribute to such a workshop with their ideas and physical expertise in order to develop and formulate a specific ‘body politics’ in the light of such a proposal.
Conceived by Peter Stamer with Sri Louise and guests