Warsaw: Iza Szostaks National Affairs. Sprawy wewnętrzne [National Affairs: Internal Affairs] premiers next week

As part of the cycle Centre in Process, Warsaw?s Centre in Motion and Nowy Theatre will host the premiere of Iza Szostak?s piece National Affairs. Sprawy wewnętrzne [National Affairs: Internal Affairs]. The premiere will launch the cycle Radykalna bliskość [Radical Proximity], which will be presented at Nowy Theatre from October through December (curator: Mateusz Szymanówka). The premiere will take place on 25-26 October (6 pm) at Nowy Teatr in Warsaw (ul. Madalińskiego 10/16).

About the piece:

The body creates spaces of risk and danger. It subverts itself. It is a process. An actor. It acts. The body is determined by the effects and affects it causes. The body always begins process of peculiar communication with the world from itself: it exposes itself, it is unruly, it constantly constructs and revises itself, deconstructing and reconstructing.

Sometimes the body is dysfunctional at the somatic level, becoming the same body that is politically incorrect. It is subversive, exceeds the boundaries set by the political and cultural authority it is subject to. It participates in modern rituals  ? consciously and unconsciously.

It draws from various cultures and assemblies, constantly re-creating itself based on what it assimilates and processes. It continues to look for new ways to communicate. It searches for concern and proximity in a way that is disallowed by the surrounding context.

Concept and choreography: Iza Szostak

performance: Julia Stawska aka Girl Zonta, Iza Szostak, ZIPPER, Crawler, Edek

visuals: Karolina Mełnicka i Stachu Szumski

music: Kuba Słomkowski

lighting: Michał Głaszczka

dramagurtigal consultants: Magda Ptasznik, Michał Grzegorzek

research: Anka Herbut

production collaboration: Hubert Prekurat

coordinator: Maria Sapeta

publicity: Ewa Kędziora

Organised as part of Centrum w Procesie [Centre in Process]

Organisers: Fundacja Burdąg, Centrum w Ruchu

Co-producer: Maat Festival

Partner: Nowy Teatr

Co-financed by the Capital City of Warsaw.

Media Patrons:
Zwykłe Życie, magazyn SZUM, taniecPOLSKA.pl, Teatr Dla Was, e-teatr.pl, RDC Radio dla Ciebie, Wawer Culture Centre

The robots were contributed by: Koło Naukowe Robotyków KNR MEiL PW

Constructors: ZIPPER: Tomasz Gołaszewski, Rafał Rosołek, Crawler: Adam Sikorski, Konrad Aleksiejuk, Mateusz Baczewski, Edek: Bartosz Grabczak

Special thanks to: Piotr ZONTA Król, Kasia Stawska, Koło Naukowe Robotyków KNR MEiL PW

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About the Radykalna bliskość [Radical Proximity] cycle

October ? December 2017
artists: Ramona Nagabczyńska, Renata Piotrowska-Auffret, Marysia Stokłosa, Iza Szostak
curator: Mateusz Szymanówka

Radical proximity inspects the ways in which contemporary choreography scrutinises the spatial and symbolic relations between us. Can dance be understood as an operation on social tissue or an attempt at renegotiation of territories such as the body, theatre, or political reality?

The programme includes pieces by four Polish choreographers: the premieres of Iza Szostak?s National Affairs and Renata Piotrowska-Auffret I Leak Pure Gold, a presentation of Ramona Nagabczyńska?s pURe, and the finale of Marysia Stokłosa?s project Action is Primary/ Wychodząc od działania. The presentations will be accompanied by artist talks and a debate featuring the artists and invited guests.

Although they refer to the categories of intimacy, love, care, and collaboration ? which are mostly appropriated by economy, religion, and power ? the presented pieces do not seek for authenticity. Instead, they pose themselves as exercises in insubordination and confrontations with the existing views and customs that shape the everyday practice of being the body, being in the world, and being together. They challenge the relations between the close and remote, the own and alien, the familiar and foreign.

What social rituals does the contemporary body participate in? How does one defy the imposed cultural codes? Can revolution break out between me and you?