IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING
IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING
A sound and wind installation by Dimitri de Perrot
Opening June 21 – 23 June 2024 at the Broek Festival / NoNa in Mechelen, Belgium
IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING is a place of quiet contemplation. A thin-skinned textile dome intensely reveals the dynamics and interwoven nature of all protagonists of a present moment. On the one hand, as a translating skin structure, it demonstrates the cultural and the natural forces we are subject to – even if we often don’t notice it. As soon as a small breeze rises, the encasement changes form dramatically. The same applies to clouds that move in front of the sun, shadows that result from surrounding trees or an encroaching dusk – they can all be observed extremely well. Thus the people and the action and life around the sphere become acoustic «protagonists» of this unrepeatable world play.
Each visitor observes individually, while simultaneously being a collective presence and producing a feeling that something connects us – even if this cannot be articulated with clear language in the moment or remains an approximation. The experience of a fusion of inside and outside creates a time- and place-specific overall impression of the situation in the here and now.
Admission is every 30 minutes for 15 people. Shoes and technical “devices” are left outside. Taking photos or shooting film is not allowed to protect the unique nature of the moment. We recommend staying for at least 20 minutes. The total number of people inside never exceeds 25 to guarantee the requisite concentration and safety.
«I pray for deep listening in the new century -- listening alone -- listening together -- listening to others -- listening to oneself -- listening to the earth -- listening to the universe -- listening to the abundance that is -- awakening to and feeling sound and silence as all there is -- helping to create an atmosphere of opening for all to be heard, with the understanding that listening is healing. Deep listening in all its variations is infinite. Deep listening is love.» Pauline Oliveros
This work is part of a broader research episode for the installative theatre project UNTER UNS on the subject of soil, premiering on 7 November 2024 at the Gessnerallee Zurich. In this context, various works were created around the themes of hearing, soil and co-existance. Further research stations are the Archipel Festival in Geneva (31.3.23 - 9.4.23) and the Zürcher Theater Spektakel (15.8.24 - 1.9.2024) with the sounding floor INTO THE DIRT.
CREDITS
Idea, stage set and artistic direction: Dimitri de Perrot
Dramaturgy: Anna Papst
Lighting design: Tina Bleuler and Patrik Rimann
Stage set – development and construction: Leo Hoffmann
Collaboration stage set: Franziska Born
Communication & thinktank: Christoph Meier
Research and collaboration: Jessica Huber, Max Molling, Julian Sartorius
Production management and touring: Studio DdP
Production: Studio DdP
Coproduction: Broek Festival/NoNa – Mechelen
Partner theater: Le Centquatre Paris, Gessnerallee Zürich, Festival Archipel Genève, Zürcher Theater Spektakel.
This work is part of a broader research episode for a theatre project on the subject of soil, which will premiere on 7 November 2024 at the Gessnerallee Zurich and is supported by: Stadt Zürich Kultur, Fachstelle Kultur Kanton Zürich, Pro Helvetia Schweizer Kulturstiftung, Stiftung Corymbo, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Else v. Sick Stiftung.
Thanks to: Dampfzentrale Bern, Lydia Kluge, Urs Meier/Luft & Laune, Peter Sauter/Nullachtsechzehn, Schroeder fire balloons, ZAZ Bellerive - Zentrum Architektur Zürich.
The city of Zürich and Kanton Zürich support the projects by Dimitri de Perrot/Studio DdP with multi-year grants. The new support period will run until the end of 2027 (concept grant / multi-year group grant 2024-2027).
Dimitri de Perrot is «Artist in Residence» at Le Centquatre – Paris and «house artist» at the Gessnerallee Zürich.
