THE CHEQUERED PHONE – DAS KARIERTE TELEFON
Ein Crossover-Art-Projekt

Email an Francisca, 11. April 2023:

Hello Francisca,

imagine a crossover artprojekt, a dancer developing a short choreography plus one/two works by a painter performed/presented together in an nice evening for our friends/associateds or for whom it may interest. And somehow the performing and the paintings may have something to do with each other, this „point of view“-thing, you know. Our time for that is remaining time you spend here.

What to you think about that?

Saudações, Andreas


Antwort von Francisca, 13. April 2023:

Hello Andreas,

Nice to hear from you.

I think it’s very interesting, interdisciplinary always provides a good exchange, “point of view”-thing”.
Would you like to find a good time for both to meet and talk about it? Maybe it can be easier to ping pong ideas and prepositions.

Thank you for remembering me.

Herzliche Grüße,

Francisca

Am Dienstag, den 5. September 2023 um 19:30 Uhr wurde in der Tanz Station im Bahnhof Wuppertal-Barmen ca 30 Gästen eine 20minütige Performance mit dem Titel „The Chequered Phone – Das karierte Telefon“ dargeboten. Sie war das Ergebnis einer wunderbaren Zusammenarbeit mit Francisca Poças, die außerdem ihre Schwester Camila mit in das Projekt holte, die Ende August für zwei Wochen aus Portugal anreiste. Die beiden Schwestern entwickelten eine Choreographie, ich fertigte ein Gemälde an, präparierte das Telefon und übernahm eine Sprechrolle.


Francisca Poças
(geb. 1999) stammt aus Portugal und begann ihre Tanzausbildung im Alter von 18 Jahren an der Associação de Dança e Desenvolvimento Social de Leiria. Aufgrund ihres Interesses an Interdisziplinarität trat sie der Theatergruppe Te-Ato bei und absolvierte ihr Bachelor-Studium an der Escola Superior de Dança.
Im Jahr 2023 schloss sie sich dem Team der Tanz Station als Erasmus-Praktikantin an und arbeitete mit der merighi | mercy company zusammen.


Camila Poças
(geb. 2001), ebenfalls aus Portugal, begann ihre künstlerische, plastische Praxis im Alter von 15 Jahren und nahm auch an verschiedenen außerschulischen Tanztrainings im Studio K (Leiria) teil.
Im Jahr 2023 machte sie ihren Abschluss in Bildender Kunst und künstlerischen Techniken an der Escola Superior de Educação in Porto.

Concept
by Francisca and Camila Poças

The checkered phone it’s a performative exchange where Dance and Painting cross, driven by the thought that the research theme it’s the research in itself.

The fusion of dance and painting raises intriguing questions, “What is the volume of a movement/Painting? What color does this movement have? And how much pigment saturation? In painting, where does the pause occur? Thought the lines of composition?”
Curiously, the contemporary dance pieces synopsis are made of multiplequestions, while the contemporary painting details are made of ambiguousexpressions such as “Without title”, “Mixed techniques”.

Rather than to work in a way of translating the specific features of each artform to new possibilities of the other art form, the three artists, from differentexpressions, countries and generations, decided to cross space and time.
We share a research without answers, what’s the connection between Danceand Painting? They are connected through the presence of the telephone andrelated based on what each one offers to the space (time + Tanz Station)

The performative exchange is mapped by structured improvisation taglined bysilent atmosphere moments, painting presence, Andreas performative moment, and by Francisca and Camila’s movement manipulation based on Andrea’s past work, though movement development tools, like the change of level, transposition and accumulation.

On the sharing moment, (first) last step of the research, we invite the peopleto connect with the synergy of the space through the crossing between canvas,painter, movement, dancers, observers – a space, art and people dialogue.

Das karierte Telefon, Öl auf Leinwand, 120cm x 200cm (zweiteilig)

Ablauf:
Im Raum sind Sitzgelegenheiten für das Publikum platziert.
Im Foyer bitte ich das Publikum in die Tanz Station, wo Camila sich zu Musik tanzend durch den Raum bewegt, um die Atmosphäre zu lockern und die Szenengrenzen zu öffnen.
Ich hole die beiden Teile meines Gemäldes nacheinander aus dem Nebenraum und stelle sie auf das Sideboard.
Am Ende der Musik öffne ich eine Tür des Sideboards, in dem Francisca versteckt ist.
Ich setze mich neben das Gemälde und gebe vor, mit ihr zu telefonieren (Telefonat 1, siehe unten), während sie dem Sideboard entsteigt, ein weißes Klebeband vorbereitet und mit Camila durch die Zuschauer schreitend einen Weg aus Klebeband auf dem Boden markiert.
Ich beende das Telefonat und setze ich mich zwischen die Zuschauer, Francisca und Camila bauen auf der Spur des Bandes eines tänzerischen Dialog auf.
Danach entferne ich das Band und gebe vor, mit Camila zu telefonieren (Telefonat 2, siehe unten).



TELEFONAT 1:

Hello? Here’s Andreas, who’s there?

Hello Francisca, I’m calling from Wuppertal, Germany. May I ask where are you from?

Leiria?

Portugal? Far away…

You’re in Wuppertal too right now? Oh, that’s nice. May I ask what are you doing here?

Dance?

Yes, I know, there’s a great tradition of dance in my town.

And where are you stranded?

Yes, I know. They’re running this dancething in the Railwaystation of Wuppertal-Barmen. By the way, it’s the part of Wuppertal I grew up in, you know, I’m very familiar with that…

And are they nice?

It’s very ambitious to come here, yes, I think so…

You know, I never did something like that, going into a foreign country with a foreign language to improve my skills…

I’m calling you, because I’m a painter and looking for someone for a crossover art projekt.

Yes, in our case crossover dancing and painting. Could you imagine that?

No, honestly I cant really explain.

I think, there’s no need to explain a connection between dance and painting. Because It’s a matter of art, not of logic.

Yes, for example, it’s like someone ask me, where is the connection of red and blue? And before I start a painting I’ve to find an answer for that, doesnt make sense to me, I’m a painter and put red and blue in one painting, that’s it.

At least it must be a good painting, it must convince. Than no one will ask for a connection of red and blue, cause it works.

Yes, I think so. You agree?

So could you imagine to make a crossover art project with me?

No. The only thing we really need is.. beeing on the same wavelengs… WAVELENGTH, sorry the f*****g TH…

That’s great.

She’s dancing and painting? … and knitting… questioning…

Yes, why not, let’s involve Camila, would be nice.

Well, nevertheless I think we need a connecting element, something to make people curious, which is obvious to the audience. In german we say an Aufhänger, to hang it up…

(stehe auf)

What could it be…?

(denke nach, betrachte das Telefon)

Oh, I got it, I got it… yes, it’s very obvoius, they will see.. yes!

I’m looking forward, yes, let’s start…

Camila und Francisca bei den Proben in der Tanz Station

Telefonat 2 (nach einer Idee von Camila):

Hello it’s you, Camila, Andreas is calling.

I’m fine, how are you?

Tired but excited?

That ’s good! Did it go well?

Dont worry, I think they got the connection…

No, I don’t think we need more deep meaning. If we do a good job, if it works, no one will ask for sense.

I know, when you’re young, in the beginning of your journey, you are looking for connections and meanings in that simple act of making art, to make it worthy… but when you grow with your creation, you let things be, be themselves.


It makes sense because we are doing it, bringing it into reality and there’s no sense in it before doing that. Some people are able to receive that, others not. Watch out for the people who really love art and are able to appreciate your struggles, give you an honest feedback, and dont stop to improve your skills… gosh, stop, sorry, dont listen to an old man, you’ve to discover your own future. So don’t worry, it makes sense.

Yep, it was a pleasure to work with you. Thank you very much.

Good luck, bye…

Generalprobe und Aufführung am 5. September 2023

Fotos von Ralf Silberkuhl

Das karierte Telefon ist meine erste spartenübergreifende und internationale künstlerische Kooperation.
Mein herzlicher Dank gilt:

Francisca und Camila Poças (Senhoras, vocês são maravilhosas!)

Thusnelda Mercy und Pascal Merighi, die uns die Tanz Station überlassen haben, sowie
Larissa Plath für die Unterstützung
tanz-station.de

Ralf Silberkuhl für Film und Fotos
6tant.com

und ca. 30 Gästen, die das karierte Telefon sehen wollten.

Das Projekt wurde gefördert vom Kulturbüro Wuppertal.