For three evenings the theatre is going to be given over to contemporary audiovisual performances of the art formations Burstscratch, Mikroloops and Handa Gote that work with the polyekran principle.
A scrummage of moving as well as static images, flashes of lightning escaping from the marked territory of a projection screen and stratification of geometrical shapes. A journey of simultaneous images leading from medieval triptychs to French "film" impressionists, expanded cinema, analogical and digital multichannel experiments with video is being revived in the 21st century. Thus we can describe three art groups that together with their hypnotic images, modulated in direct transmission, are to visit Olomouc – the collective of French film makers – Burstscratch, the Czechoslovakian trio – Mikroloops and the domestic experimental platform – Handa Gote for which the decomposition and multiplication of images is a source of frequent inscrutable performances on stage as well as in the auditorium.
Burstscratch is one of the few independent film laboratories in relation to production matters, focusing on film experiments whose significance is well above amateur attempts and at the same time it greatly deepens the possibilities of film language. The given concept has a tendency to go against narrative conventions. Thus it is intentionally inconsistent and it assumes the communication between the viewer and moving image to be based on audiovisual qualities and associative chaining. The Strasburg devotees of 8mm and 16mm material primarily experiment not only with evasive images, but also with projection devices and film material that they develop in chemicals they make themselves. They will present the results of the culinary craft in the performance of Le point aveugle that deals with decomposition and multiplication of film images.
Explicit alliance with Burstscratch is embodied within the group around an experimental creator Martin Blažíček. He invited an audiovisual performer, Stanislav Abrahám and an expert on "pure data" Michal Cabowicz to his unique Mikroloops project. Simultaneous screening of their own material from five specially modified 16mm projectors Blažíček disrupts with various optical items that he places in front of the objectives (lenses, slides, mirrors etc.). In this way he obtains absolute decomposition of a stratified image that comes out of the projectors upon surrounding walls. The magic of light streams filling the whole auditorium forces the viewer to involuntarily turn round and observe the demiurge Blažíček operating various machines at the same time that is a unique performance in itself.
The last festival night will belong to a multi-project performance called Ekran by the experimental group Handa Gote that defines its work as "a project for research and development of dance and movement theatre, graphic theatre, music and audio design and the integration of science and technology in art". Amateur 8mm recordings blend with gathered slides and video-recordings representing surprisingly functional means that convey intimate portraits of unknown people. They are to be accompanied by music group B4 and a brief performance. Multiproject "Found footage cinema" made of found image material is reflected upon five screening areas and what's also important is the risk of failure of the old technology; the film might burn off, slides may get stuck – it all makes every performance a live action that is inscrutable and unique at the same time.
Alexandr Jančík
11.12 |10pm | Theatre
BURSTSCRATCH – LE POINT AVEUGLE | audiovisual performance, 16mm, live sound | Laurent Berger, Silvi Simon, Laurence Barier | France
12.12 | 10.30pm | Theatre
MIKROLOOPS | audiovisual performance, 16mm, live sound | Martin Blažíček, Stanislav Abrahám, Michal Cabowicz | Czech Republic
14.12 | 8pm | Theatre
HANDA GOTE – EKRAN | audiovisual performance, 8mm, diapositives, video | Tomáš Procházka, Robert Smolík, Jakub Hybler, David Freudl, David Singer, Leoš Kropáček, Johana Švarcová | Czech Republic
