kunst.hand.werk.
choreographische installation
Tag der freien Theater beim Bundespräsidenten/Schloß Bellevue

The idea for the video edit for this fourth version of "kunst.hand.werk." stems from the context: an evening in the German Federal President's palace. Here, in the halls of federal politics, one gesture appears central and is present in all co-produced videos: the handshake. It is a physical sign of agreement and trust: a settlement.
This gesture is often placed at the beginning of a moment of common relaxation - suspicion is paused. This is also why it was the usual greeting.
In "kunst.hand.werk." the handshake marks engagement for art and is simultaneously a sign of individuality and personality. The performance attempts to elicit this gesture.
The video editing also discovers numerous "dance" gestures of conviviality among the guests.
The text fragments are taken from the speech that the Federal President held on this evening.


Art doesn't come out of nowhere.


It is only through the direct (financial) involvement of the public that this work of art can be realized in its entirety.

In "kunst.hand.werk." we invite the public to become a co-producer of our work. In giving a sum of money - the amount is freely determined - the co-producer receives three items after signing the co-production contract:

1: an individually developed hand choreography performed live that is visible for all on a monitor;
2: a limited edition card with a trace/imprint of this choreography;
3: the presentation of the choreography on the internet listed under the edition number and the name of the contracting co-producer.

"kunst.hand.werk." focuses on the economic foundations of our work. It is an attempt to make the work situation of "free and independent" artists productive for the creative art process.

The money transfer - a necessary movement in the exchange of money for art - is the motivation and creative impetus for a hand choreography. By breaking down the causal chain in the theater context (pay money > receive ticket > see performance), the cash hand-over and the card already constitutes the art action. The simple consumer is simultaneously the public co-producer. He or she receives, in exchange for money and release of his or her name, not just an almost private but ephemeral performance, but also an object and the publicity for his contract and participation. In the media realization - via video on location, on the limited-edition card and as an internet video - the choreographic action leaves traces and thus turns an object into a commodity. This occurs beyond the fleeting nature of the live performance.

The movement resulting from monetary exchange - a daily fact of life - is the first movement of a dance event. It becomes choreography through the contextual framework of the installation and the video.