International Festival of Contemporary Theatre
Programme
375 0908 2334. The body you are calling is currently not available
07.09. “Smilga”, Eduarda Smiļģa iela 34A, Rīga | 10/ 15 EUR
+375 is the telephone code of the Republic of Belarus. 09.08. is the date of the presidential elections, which were cynically rigged by the authorities. The spite and discontentment with the election results led to a revolutionary protest movement, that continues to this day. 2334 is the number of the Administrative Code article “Violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events”, according to which more than 40 thousand Belarusians have been convicted since August 2020.
In the course of political protests, people are disappearing all over the world. They are arrested, imprisoned or killed. Often, no contact is possible and friends and relatives are left with nothing but hope. Belarusian performer Igor Shugaleev, who lives in exile, fights against this paralyzing state with his body. In collaboration with the artist Sergey Shabohin he developed a performance in which he subject himself to a method of torture common in prisons and that will be presented as part of this year’s Homo Novus programme. Igor will share his activist perspective on the ongoing protests in Belarus and explore the question of how solidarity with political prisoners on the ground is possible.
The project was also created as a way to collect financial assistance for victims of violence and repression in Belarus. Consider offering your support via our charitable account at the HUMANOS Foundation.
Accessibility
Accessible for audiences with mobility impairment (there is no adapted toilet). Subtitles in several languages.
About artists
Igor Shugaleev is an independent actor and performer, a graduate of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. As a student, he became interested in performative practices, physical and dance theater. He participated in workshops on contemporary dance, partnering, performance, happening, etc. organized by prominent pedagogues in Europe. As a performer of Karakuli Dance Theater and Korniag Theater projects, he took part in multiple European dance festivals. He has collaborated with TOK Theater (Minsk), HUNCH Theater (Minsk-London). Starting in 2019, Igor began to work on solo projects. Cooperating with artists across creative disciplines, he searches for his own language of artistic expression at the intersection of dance, drama theater, and performance. Born in Gomel (Belarus), since 2021 he has lived in Poland.
Sergey Shabohin is an artist, independent curator, author of texts about art, archivist and researcher of Belarusian culture, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Kalektarresearch platform for contemporary Belarusian art, founder and editor-in-chief of Art Aktivist portal about activism and contemporary Belarusian art. Owner of Gray Mandorla Studio space in Poznan. Curator and co-curator of several exhibitions, programs, and competitions, Belarusian art activist, author of lectures, creator of dozens of cultural initiatives, co-founder of cultprotest.me, initiator of the program aimed at creating a Museum of Contemporary Art in Belarus. Born in Navapolack (Belarus), lives and works in Poznan and Berlin.
Cast
Idea, performer: Igor Shugaleev
Curator, artist: Sergey Shabohin
Video artist: Aleksandra Kononchenko
Producer: Marina Dashuk
6 and 7
September
21:30
10/ 15 EUR
English (with subtitles in Latvian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, English, French, German)
60 min
Tickets