Bodies and Stages

The Federal Cultural Foundation has organised a dance congress in a different German city every three years since 2006. It is an event which has significantly contributed to improving the visibility of the German dance scene. On the occasion of the 2016 Dance Congress in Hannover, the exhibition “Bodies and Stages” at the Kunstverein Hannover highlighted the point of overlap between dance, performance and fine art.
In her performance “PRIVATE” (2016), Alexandra Bachzetsis presented a collage of various genres and dance styles ranging from erotic posing and gymnastic elements to yoga exercises and pop cultural references. Her works demonstrate how the body can free itself from culturally influenced gestures and achieve autonomy. The exhibition also featured the piece “Some Cleanings” from the series “Choreographic Services” by Adam Linder, an artist known for crossing the boundary between dance and the fine arts. In addition, visitors could watch Linder performing in video works by Shahryar Nashat. Nashat has presented an installation comprised of bench-like sculptures and video works, in which the viewer simultaneously becomes part of the display. The exhibition included a lecture performance by the artist and iconic figure of the queer movement Vaginal Davis. Stories about her life were combined with insights into the mechanisms of roles and how one presents oneself in everyday life and on stage. A programme of lectures, films and performances accompanied the exhibition.

Artistic director: Kathleen Rahn
Artists: Alexandra Bachzetsis (CH), Shahryar Nashat (CH), Adam Linder (AU), Vaginal Davis (US) and others