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Mirica Ačko
Liza Šimenc
Three bodies leave behind six tracks.
The first is the carrier.
The second is the operator.
The third is the free radical.
They get to know and discover each other. They change roles. They are testing their folds. They are working out their shrinkage. The process is meant to be experienced together, with significance lying in the moments when they are side by side, one on top of the other, intertwined. Unexpectedly lifted, loaded, overturned. Unexpectedly seated, independent, uplifted. In a cluster of limbs and extremities, from the bottom up, what perspective does the world offer? Now I see you, now I don't. An infinity of space unfolds behind closed eyes. The space in between expands and contracts. Breathing in, breathing out. The multiplicity of bodies unfolds as a volume of dialogue. The pressure on a point produces a sound, a chain movement. And thus, the conversation continues. The effect of falling dominoes leads through an imaginary world of landscapes not yet traversed. Or so say their shadows, the outline of a backpack. They have set out on a journey. Six mechanical wheels carry the weight of two organic intertwines and their associative imagery.
The Bride.
The knees.
The bird.
Standing.
Drawing.
Organic-technological assemblage.
Radical is spacing. Operator carries. The free radical manages. The guiding question of their research is what can they trigger in each other? To what extent can they push beyond socially established parameters? The materiality of bodies is bent by the interposition of codes, the building blocks of identities. They are culturally defined by symbolic systems given in the discourses of science, technology and medicine. Bodies' reactions to one another slot each into compartments of the known, the predetermined. Hybrid figures composed of various elements, belonging to multiple realms concurrently, inhabit the liminal space between imagination and reality. A multidimensional puzzle takes place in the territory of cyborgs, questioning the boundaries between bodies and the aggregate of several bodies that become one. In this way, the movement of the aggregate also becomes multidimensional and unpredictable. The different entities within it are extensions of one another. The movement intelligence transcends the established spheres, creates new inflections and improvises. Their identities are no longer a matter of the individual but emerge in mutual contacts and intertwining. Momentary interventions arise, rebellious against the established, the known, the expected, and thereby, inherently political. They redirect attention from absence to presence, here, with us, together.
The authors in their collaborative work explore the body and their experiences during movement. The joint project "In bodies, what kind? Such!" (2024) is composed of two parts. The first part, titled "Organic Technological Assembly," will be presented at Cirkulacija 2, while the second part, "The Body as an Unwalked Landscape," will be showcased at the Platforma festival in Maribor.
Mirica Ačko (1974) is a creator in the field of movement, professor of geography and university graduated pedagogue. Her passion for dance and performance art rooted in movement has led her to collaborate with Liza Šimenc. Over the years, she has delved into the exploration of movement through practices such as yoga and acroyoga, often alongside Suzana Rožmanec. Her exploration extends beyond conventional medical doctrines and methodologies. In her commitment to equal opportunities and the right to personal assistance, Ačko has co-created a series of activist performative interventions in public spaces in Ljubljana and Strasbourg. These interventions incorporate dance processes both on the floor and on carts. One particular innovation facilitates the body's ability to assume a standing position while in motion, thereby offering a fresh perspective on bodily sensation, sight, and the experience of gravity. Through this work, essential mobility aids are transformed into artistic objects, challenging the conventional perceptions of marginalized bodies in everyday contexts.
Liza Šimenc (1991) is an interdisciplinary artist who works in the fields of contemporary dance and visual art, with the status of self-employed in culture since 2015. She works as a creator with integrated author's projects, where her specific style is the extension of author's costume design into scenography. She expresses herself mainly through movement and performance, scenography, costume design, space and light installations. She performs interventions in public space, somatic performances and ambient events. She received her education at the Bled International Ballet School and the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet, and additional education abroad (Hong Kong, New York, London, Madrid, Brussels, Vienna, Budapest, Milan, Berlin). In 2016 she got a work grant from the Ministry of Culture. She actively collaborates with renowned artists, and is part of the artistic duo Kresnička - with the visual artist Tatiana Kocmur, a member of the group NOTA - with the musicians Boštjan Simon and Elvis Homan, creates the author's Opus - ALLO with the dancer Anja Mejač and musicians Luko Uršič.
The Q700-UPM (2019) is a remarkable individual who embodies adaptability and versatility in every cell of his being. With a range of adjustable functions, it embodies the spirit of individuality and inclusiveness. From their variable width (622 mm – 660 mm) and length (1070 mm – 1130 mm) to the adjustable seat width (380 mm – 560 mm) and depth (400 mm – 540 mm), it is versatile in all positions. The Q700-UPM offers a seat tilt range from 0° to 22° in the electric recline function. Its adjustable leg length (340 mm - 520 mm) and backrest angle (80° - 175°) provides perfect support. With a turning radius of 560 mm, it gracefully navigates life's twists and turns. Their 6-inch wheelbase and 14-inch drive wheels provide stability for mobility on a variety of terrains, making it easy to travel through the adventure of a lifetime.
Authors and performers: Mirica Ačko, Liza Šimenc, Q700-UPM
Text: Urška Savič
Costumography: Liza Šimenc
Drawings: Liza Šimenc, Urška Savič
Photography: Nina Pernat
Video: Črt Potočnik
Counseling: Tatiana Kocmur
Technical support: Stefan Doepner, Tadej Pečar
Acknowledgments: Prostor za umetnost NÓT, plesni studio Moj korak , Marko Batista, Simon Svetlik, Vlado Repnik
Production: Cirkulacija 2
Co-financing: Municipality of Ljubljana
VIDEO
photos: Nina Pernat, NOT, 2024
photos: Nina Pernat, Cirkulacija 2, 2024
