Des Kaisers neue Kleider/ The Emperor’s New Clothes
~
WIR* einen Tag der offenen Stadt
10/09/2022
Freiheitsplatz, Graz
commissioned by Schauspielhaus Graz// Wir* Tag der offene Stadt (We* Day of the open city)
The statue of Emperor Franz I (1768–1835) stands in the Square of Freedom, right in front of the City Theater. I have been commissioned to develop an installation that addresses the incongruities of this monument, in the context of a 3-year project that attempts to create an expanded concept of the “We” in the city, especially focusing on European, Austrian, and Styrian frontier politics.
Inspired by the popular figure of the Caboclo de Lança from the Maracatu in Brazil, I created a sort of Anthropophagic Octopus, a dress that does not make the Emperor naked but devours it. The piece (un)commemorates the 200 years of “Brazilian independence”, which was achieved partly under the great influence of the Habsburg family and Mr. Franz daughter’s Leopoldine, who became then the first Empress of Brazil. The piece was performed in the form of a letter to Emperor Franz, to give him his new Clothes, and the text directly addressed the implication of Austria in colonial history, especially the implication of the Slave Trade during the 19th century.
credits:
The act was developed in collaboration with dramaturge Nina Gühlstorff and historian Christian Cwick, and performed by musician Edgar Abreu and actor Sebastian Pass. photo: Lex Karelly, sketches: Daniela Brasil
~