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#curatedbyaks

Light On - Light Off N°7

September 2014

 

"Regeneration emerges when apparent opposites and incongruity meet each other in open discussion.

 

There is nothing to be said against an event organizer, curator or producer presenting contemporary art of international status in the countryside.

 

And it is commendable for an artist in the countryside to debate current themes in contemporary art, to carry the result of these explorations out into the world, and to realize that as a collective of artists, we can experience inspiring conversations everywhere - whether it is with an audience in Indonesia, Argentina, Germany, Korea or Carinthia … "

 

    - AKS

LIGHT ON – LIGHT OFF began early in 2013 as a guest artist series with a festival-like character – the result of a desire to offer Carinthian audiences the opportunity to enjoy high-quality contemporary dance-art in an intimate setting multiple times a year.

 

Preceding LIGHT ON - LIGHT OFF, the büro für tanz | theater | productionen had already curated POSITIONS - Discourse and Dialogue in Contemporary Dance Carinthia (2009, 2011), a program that inspired a hunger for more access to contemporary dance in the region.

 

During recent years the büro für tanz | theater | produktionen curated contemporary dance works from across Carinthia at venues including:

°ART SPACE stift millstatt
°theaterHalle 11 Klagenfurt
°Kärnten wasser reich
°MMKK . Museum Moderner Kunst Kärnten

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... with and by, among others:

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  • ​Rosalie Wanka (Germany)

  • Bodhi Project / Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Austria)

  • Matan Levkovich (Israel)

  • Art Project Bora (Korea)

  • No Name Sosu (Korea)

  • Goblin Party (Korea)

  • In Soo Lee (Korea)

  • Maciej Kuzminskij (Poland)

  • Jurij Konjar / Andreja Rauch (Slovenija)

  • Nayana Keshave Bhat (Austria/India)

The seventh installment of the internationally-oriented dance performance series LIGHT ON – LIGHT OFF featured an international already multiple prize-winning program in its Austrian premiere, presented in cooperation with the büro für tanz | theater | productionen, FORUM KUNST and also in special collaboration with the renowned Seoul International Dance Festival, and supported by the cultural department of the province of Carinthia.

 

The Young Korean Choreographers program spanned a wide spectrum, featuring artists who gave themselves joyfully and thoughtfully to the highest level of contemporary dance, musing over life and death, humorously questioning grotesque human interactions, shedding light on the intellectual process of choreography and illuminating memories.

 

Read a review on the NETZWERK AKS Blog.

Opening Words

Dr. Peter Kaiser

Governor of Carinthia

 

"Dear friends of contemporary dance!

 

Dance is many things: ritual, tradition, genre of performance art, profession, sport, therapy, social phenomenon or simple expression. Under the broad term “contemporary dance,” the artistic dance of the present ranges a wide aesthetic spectrum of abstract and narrative dance as art. Works of current social relevance grow out of the creative processes of contemporary choreographers. Lovers of contemporary dance can experience exactly this, up close and personal, at the Stift Millstatt.

 

For two years, the office for dance | theater | productions has hosted the internationally cast guest artist series „Light on – Light off“ with the goal of exploring tendencies and currents in the overlapping areas of new media, music, film, literature and art installations. This festival-like performance series brings internationally recognized dance artists together in the Carinthian mountains and offers interested persons a platform for discussion, inspiration and lively inter-cultural exchange. The festival format has an important function: it can easily highlight the interrelated themes trending in today's performing arts scene. Because dance usually communicates literally, its narratives often immediately penetrates our perceptive region that lies deeper than intellectual reason can reach; countless dance viewers experience this sensation again and again. The unique, atmospheric ambiance of Stift Millstatt contributes to this effect. Located in the Austrian region bordering Slovenia and Italy, the old benedictine cloister now continues a long tradition of serving Carinthia as an intellectual and cultural center, ideal for contemplation, focus, dialogue and evolving ideology.

 

The committed management team Andrea K. Schlehwein and Eleonore Schäfer, together with the renowned Seoul International Dance Festival, have achieved heightened success at the climax of this year's season: bringing the best contemporary choreographers in Korea to Carinthia for the Austrian premiere of an international, multiple prize-winning program. In the name of Carinthia, I thank these women for this, and for their years of outstanding engagement. I look forward to this spectacular event, and wish the festival continued success and the public inspired days of experimental dance works of highest international caliber."

Christian Benger

Head of the

Department of Arts and Culture, Carinthia

 

"Honored creative artists,

dear culture lovers,

 

As head of the Department of Arts and Culture for the province of Carinthia, my heart beats for the arts ranging from the independent scene to folk culture. In Carinthia, I see a culturally open land – without limits and without barriers. I believe diversity is noteworthy, and expect transparency and accountability.

 

Thanks to the persistent energy of those responsible for launching the exceptional dance-theater productions in LIGHT ON – LIGHT OFF, a high-quality cultural scene has been established outside a metropolitan area. While a flourishing culture scene is not dependent on a metropolitan location, only those who work to instigate artistic activities in more remote regions understand the challenges associated with producing and presenting art in the countryside.

 

For this reason, I, as head of the Department of Arts and Culture, thank everyone that brought this exciting, international program to Millstatt, thereby strengthening culture in the province of Carintha."

Dr. Martin Eichtinger

Ambassador

Head of Cultural-Policy Section of the Federal Government for Europe,

Integration and Foreign

 

"In recent years a noteworthy collaboration between dance and performance sectors of Austria and the Republic of Korea has developed that can be traced back to the engagement and activities of Andrea K. Schlehwein.

 

The cultural policy department of the Austrian foreign ministry named the sectoral emphasis for 2011 through 2014 as the respective fields of dance architecture. It is a special pleasure for me to announce that concrete and high-quality projects have and continue to support the emphasis on dance in the relations between Austria and the Republic of Korea. In the past year Austrian artists have participated in dance projects in Korea, and Austrian dance has been presented in performances for large Korean audiences, a continuation of which will be demonstrated by the performance of the dance-theater production wozzeck_woyzeck_reloaded at the Seoul International Dance Festival in October of this year.

 

Art and artistic exchange, however, are not a one-way street. The Republic of Korea prevails in the times of K-Pop as a newcomer and trendsetter of modern dance. Thanks to the initiative of “office for dance | theater | productions” in cooperation with FORUM ART and the Seoul International Dance Festival Korea, Millstatt will enjoy the Austrian premiere of the Young Korean Choreographers at “Light on light off no. 7” on September third and fourth of this year.

 

I wish the event much success, and the audience an interesting discussion with modern dance 'made in Korea.'"

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