Get Your Ducks In a Row
(L’enlèvement de l’Europe)
September 2016
Performance COURTS-CIRCUITS parcours d'art contemporain Chambéry, France (Organisation: Gallery Espace Larith & Experimentation space le BaM) An allegory. At a beautiful spot in the old town of Chambéry, right next to the canal, there is a screening on the wall with images from the centre of Vienna, of pre-election posters and of quotes on how to make influential politics. |
By offering drinks and inviting the public to a beach style ambiance under the sound of crickets, it is lulled into a “safe” and passive place, where action never is needed or demanded.
Then, non-yellow ducks floating around in the canal are fished out and spray-painted with the proper duck colour by a woman - sitting on a bull in water - in a mythological sense. She keeps 12 perfect, yellow ducks close at hand. Everything is happening in a very playful tone and the painted ducks are also offered to the audience. They are a hit with the younger generation! At the sound of sirens the quotes in the projection are revealed to have been german propaganda quotes from around WWII. The performer runs away with the bull, followed by the audience which is merciless and suddenly put into action that way: It is now forced to leave the cozy beach setting behind. |
At a nearby square the bull is then soaped, washed and thrown into the canal, after which Europa finally leaves the scene on the back of a bike -
waiting for her - hidden at the scene… The inspiration: the 2016 elections in Austria with the very important presence of far right wing politicians (as also the upcoming elections in FR) and their usage of similar manipulation techniques that can be found in WWII propaganda, reflecting the culture of fear. In short it's about Propaganda / the 30's / Europe / Ducks (yellow and non-yellow ones) / Fear and Games. Video stills by Maria Landgraf Photography by Céline Pasteur |