Rakete Festival 2019: from Mama to Mother Earth

Rakete Festival 2019: from Mama to Mother Earth

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Tanzquartier Vienna, Austria. 3–11 May 2019
Tanzquartier’s Rakete Festival invites a new generation of local and international choreographers and performers to present their work in Vienna. In this second edition, intersectionality seems to have played a crucial role in inspiring the upcoming artists: undercutting perspectives on gender with political takes on identity, each of the pieces reflected to some extent on the place of the makers within a bigger picture.
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Under Cover, by the Iranian maker Ulduz Ahmadzadeh, also tackles the perception of ‘oriental’ bodies, focusing especially on Muslim women. But she moves away from a solely autobiographical take to unveil a much more intricate understanding of the power structures which are ultimately linked to perceptions of individuality. At times wearing a clear plastic veil that shows each breath as a steamy cloud, devouring bloody pomegranates or smashing tea glasses with her bare hands, she uncovers a multi-sensory experience of what her reality might be like.

 

Under Cover, by the Iranian maker Ulduz Ahmadzadeh, also tackles the perception of ‘oriental’ bodies, focusing especially on Muslim women. But she moves away from a solely autobiographical take to unveil a much more intricate understanding of the power structures which are ultimately linked to perceptions of individuality. At times wearing a clear plastic veil that shows each breath as a steamy cloud, devouring bloody pomegranates or smashing tea glasses with her bare hands, she uncovers a multi-sensory experience of what her reality might be like.

From Mama to Mother Earth, Rakete offered a truly wide and refreshing take on the usually self-involved tendency underlying solos and identity-based works. Bringing awareness to unique biographies while also staying in touch with the rest of the world, the curated pieces were a promising insight into a new generation of makers who seemed unafraid to tackle the big, even cosmic challenges that we – as a species and as an art scene – are bound to face in the very real and very near future.