The Collective of Natural Disasters returns to Trafó with a new premier after a decade!
We are between past and present, somewhere outside of time. Nothing starts and nothing ends here. There is only floating.
The Collective of Natural Disasters invites the audience to experience a poetic and intimate performative installation in Trafó’s Main Hall where body-like transparent 'human membranes' float above the audience’s heads and in-between them – evoking both human fates and the vacuum left behind by a person’s absence. Similar to visitors of an exhibition, the audience is invited to move freely: they are the ones who activate the installation with their physical presence, slowly discovering the space inhabited by these floating entities, guided by the dramaturgy the artists propose.
In their new performance György Árvai and Edit Szűcs reimagine and further develop the visual concept and structure of their iconic performance, 62 Days, presented at Trafó in 2001. Dancers-choreographers Krisztián Gergye and Beatrix Trisha Simkó join the Collective of Natural Disasters as artistic collaborators to facilitate this sensitive, mystical ritual, while media artist Zsolt Korai contributes with a video installation.
"What if one day the soul gets fed up and says ‘Okay, now I'm really leaving this body, this heavy organism bound by gravity?’ Then it starts floating, of course, or at least this is how I imagine it. But floating is not as easy as you might think. What if you are floating and you don't know which way is up and which way is down? Even if you're free, you may still be lost. That is the greatest paradox, isn't it?" (György Árvai and Edit Szűcs)
György Árvai is a visual artist, scenographer and theatrical 'chronologist'. He founded the experimental theatre group Collective of Natural Disasters in 1984. The collective fuses movement, film, video, animation, contemporary music and performance with innovative scenic effects.
Edit Szűcs is an experimental costume designer, member of the Collective of Natural Disasters since 2000 and has created a number of unique ‘Costume-Fiction’ theatre performances with the group.
The Collective of Natural Disasters is internationally recognised, regularly presenting their work at festivals and arts venues on four continents. Their iconic transdisciplinary performances are intertwined with Trafó’s history, since the opening of the house. Now, after 10 years, they return to share their new creation.