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LIFE [IN PROGRESS]

14.11.2008 |

LIFE [IN PROGRESS]
Janez Janša

 
The formal framework of the project Life [in Progress] is difficult to determine; it constantly drifts between performance and exhibition. Life [in Progress] is the first kiss, the last love letter, protesting, entering a political party, boredom, alcohol, pain, rage, masturbation, the change of name and appearance, a feeling of guilt, friends, our dear departed, mother-daughter conflicts, romances (including the ones that have not left the nicest of memories), and, above all, it is a decision to react or merely observe. Contemporary artists Yoko Ono, Christian Boltanski, Jan Fabre, OHO, Carolee Schneemann, Lucio Fontana, Abramoviæ & Ulay, Jannis Kounellis, Gina Pane, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol are – perhaps without you being aware – a part of your life. Life [in Progress] creates situations where memory and vision intertwine and become indistinguishable. Is the past only a part of memory or is it also a matter of a political and cultural condition? How much visionariness is there in our visions? And is vision determined by death or the fear of death?

Life [in Progress] is composed of written, photo, and video instructions. The spectators are also the actors; walking past the instructions they create the performance according to their own rhythm, sensibility, belief, and (non-)activity. The performance takes place when the visitors decide, and the spectator emerges as the terminal “spectActor”, a spectator and actor in one.

Although the performance takes place in the here and now, we can also think of it as a re-enactment of the original performance, which was photo-documented to provide the instructions. SpectActors’ interventions leave behind an exhibition of life that turns the performance Life [in Progress] into exhibited installation. The project displays the basic difference between performing and visual arts. In performing arts there are the authors and institutions that control the time of performance, while in visual arts the spectator is in control.


Janez Janša’s Life [in Progress] project has now been published in book form – as a book of the artist.

 

Opening night of the work in progress: 22 August 2008, festival Tanz Im August, Berlin

Concept and directed by: Janez Janša
Created and performed by: Caroline Decker, Dražen Dragojeviæ, Teja Reba, Janez Janša in Janez Janša
Lights: Miran Šušteršič, Igor Remeta
Music: Dražen Dragojeviæ
Photography: Janez Janša
Lead technician: Igor Remeta
Production: Maska
Executive producer: Jedrt Jež Furlan
Co-production: Tanz im August, Berlin, Stara mestna elektrarna  -  Elektro Ljubljana (SMEEL), Ljubljana
Co-production of research project Vaditi svobodo:  Tanzquartier, Dunaj

Hosting the project was made possible by KRKA d.d. and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia.

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