What is the feedback you get from the artists who took part in this performance ?
MB : Generally when we worked with the artists, for the theater, dance and performance the feeback is having a radical experiment, because it is at least 3 hours walking in slow motion and completely covered with a partial view, being in motion with each other and generates a very keen awareness. I usually call it a performative , meditative drift, is a state of consciousness of oneself and to be here now connected with the body consciousness, which generates una new perception of the city and that is what we are doing well. It is a training for performance, this radical state that a movement may cause .
PT: Complementing about what he is talking about this meditative state is to have the opportunity for you artist or not, to go through an experience where you will put your body, your thoughts on a different frequency than the everyday, the city. So you are in this group , this chorus, only through another frequency and notice how your body at that time in relation to another who is passing on the street, rushed, rushing , leaving work, to home, so it's a shock , I think I can promote this experience and this performance is a big gain .
You reported that the performance generates shock in people who attend, but what other kind of reactions they cause in the public?
MB : It has to do with the experience of the participant, whether is an actor or artist or not, they listen public, we do not speak anything but people talk , has a number of reviews and inclusive thay manifest what bothers them. We have different reactions when we do a public performance space, each takes many bags and for example, we did a performance in a mall full of shops in the center of consumption in Paris and heard criticism of consumerism and not the artists. We hear of crisis, the responses to the high level of corruption that is spreading throughout the world , whether political , economic and judiciary. Heard about inflexibility of life today, the automated society, we as beings that have turned robots, which should only work for those who feel the bodily experience , the body turned into a working machine. And it is a kind of transformation of people into mere objects of creation, then we are reaping reactions along the way. The participant also listen to this , that this vegetative state and have perception, enjoyment , these texts that are saying is a very large performative experience.
You choose urban areas, but how do you choose the places? It is random or not ?
MD : The idea is to do it the busiest and where we can cross it with symbols of power center. Religious, economic and social , are, churches , banks, prefecture, town halls forums and conferences .
For these performances you had some refusals by the officials ?
MD : Yes , now in Fortaleza in northeastern Brazil, we did performance on a memorial where a dictator is buried , which is the government palace, where we went up there and were expelled .
By officials or the police ?
MB: By the police. What is surprising because it is a public square and the Brazilian Constitution allows everyone the right to demostrate in public places. Nevertheless, there was a police barrier that prevented us from going ahead. It was interesting because we were right in front of the memorial of White Castle, which was an absolutely bloodthirsty dictator and in 2014 were still barred by police.
MD : One day after completing 50 years of military dictatorship coup.
PT: Also when we were in front of the prefecture city of São Paulo, even a government with a party of workers, we were also barred .
MD : In the chamber of deputies state of São Paulo also put a police barrier.
MB : Our performance is absolutely peaceful , is very slow and we do not say anything at all .
It is the silence that speaks louder ?
MB : Maybe .
MD : The question is whether it is a criticism, or a protest. Contains both.
This also interests ?
MB : Yes , every work of art is itself has a political potential. It will dilute, the sign will be more open, can be read in another way, more connected to the work.
PT : But like all art is open to various readings.
MD : It can be seen in varying degrees of arts. We have 40 statues almost blind, but walking . That's the fella urban performance, have a dialogue that changes from the angle you look . The other will only see only statues ahead of a prefecture, or a bank and then the reading changes .
MB : The performance involves people with bags, each can take up to eight and before Christmas, on December 22nd, the reading is completely different . I remember listening to it : that we are even turning into consumer machines, that's what we do, to consume .
In addition this project has other activities as a collective ?
MD : Yes , there are two lines, theres is the work of theater, which is a more enclosed space and this more urban.
It is a work that you are developing for over a year?
MD : Yes
PT : The first day started on the 17th of July at Avenida Paulista, 2012. This year follows in many cities in Brazil and all Brazilian state capitals .
RB : We won an award for the selection of the gyratory stage .
PT: It's a prize for the arts for twelve years, which distributes scholarships, is the most recognized in the area, but always worked in a closed circuit that is the theater . In 2013 they decide to do something fantastic and pioneering throughout Brazil, which is put the urban intervention on the gyratory stage circuit. They are bringing this area of street art and all this visual manifestation. They started that, last year , with another artistic group and we are the second to cross this circuit, for us collectively is a great joy in participating .
Are invited by these cities, whether in Paris, as in Funchal ? Or you propose the project and the organizations accept ?
PT: In Brazil it is so, this organization SESC( Social Service of Commerce ) is the one that chose us and then promotes all trips . In this case the international circuit in 2014 we are funded by the University of São Paulo laboratory.
MB : From the pro -rector of university extension, compete for several projects and ours was approved. The international circuit begins in 2014 and do not want to stop here .
PT : This would not be possible to do without the invitation of " dancing with a difference " through Henrique Amoedo , hence the partnership on the island of Madeira. We will be in Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam , Montreal and New York .
MB : But the project " blind" aims to target the most important cities . The idea of this work , this group is circulating through the streets , by the power centers of our capitalist society . In New York we are predicting an action with more than 50 people , with the support of the city and we also intend to do it in London.
What is the purpose of this international tour when finished ?
MD : One objective is to create a book about this Brazilian and world tour. With photos from everywhere .
MB : Is the unfolding of the work , is a graphic and visual, photographic work , where we have texts from people who realize the project . The idea is that these curators can describe their perceptions of the performance of each city. In the background is another work .
