Photo : Studio Cité © Thomas Seest
Studio Cité
Benjamin Vandewalle
(Belgium)
Visual manipulation for new perspective
During the 2013 edition of Les Tombées de la Nuit, Benjamin Vandewalle presented his performance installation, Birdwatching 4 × 4. The Belgian choreographer and dancer has since continued his exploration of perception and the understanding of reality with a series of around ten interactive installations created over the last seven years. Gathered in a travelling carnival village, these performing structures are equipped with mirrors to guide, direct and divert the eye of the spectator, choreographing a different view of the city. A decor, an architectural feature, a perspective... lights suddenly illuminate the stage of this small urban theatre, in a fascinating display of visual manipulation.

In the little village of Studio Cité, the helmets and visors, rolling cart, benches on wheels, portable structures, periscopic kiosks and other installations dreamed up by Benjamin Vandewalle each open our eyes to unexpected perspectives. Whether directed by a frame or diverted by mirrors, our eyes discover a field of vision that captures a detail or movement. By transforming a piece of urban space into multiple fragmented stages, these interactive installations create a show out of the street, architecture, passers-by, trees, light and other things that are already there.

With the audience, the installation becomes an artistic carnival, a funfair, a playground for the eyes, a place for social encounters and exchanges where strangers share their experience. The choreographer invites us to look differently at the everyday world that surrounds us. This broadened vision that immerses us in a surprising fictional reality examines the idea of multiple points of view and the possibility of diverse coexisting perspectives. Careful, then it’s back to reality!

BIOGRAPHY

Trained at the Royal Ballet School (Antwerp) and a graduate of the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios (Brussels), Benjamin Vandewalle focuses his work on the theme of perception for dancers and spectators. In collaboration with Erki de Vries, he choreographed Birdwatching (2009), One/Zero (2011) and Point of View (2013). In 2012, he left the theatre for public space, with his walking performance, Birdwatching 4×4, presented at Les Tombées de la Nuit in 2013, followed by the installation Interview (2013) and sound choreography, Hear (2016). His latest production, Studio Cité (2019), is a collection of eight itinerant performing installations for public space. He is also a professor and teaches dance to children, amateurs, students and professionals in Belgium, South Africa, Mozambique and Senegal. Since 2017, Benjamin Vandewalle has been an artist in residence at the Dutch-speaking Brussels arts centre, Kaaitheater.

DISTRIBUTION

Conception et mise en scène : Benjamin Vandewalle
Performance : Alice Van Der Wielen, Rita Alves, Maria Ferreira Silva, Yentl De Werdt
Coordination technique : Hans Van Wambeke
Construction : Benjamin Vandewalle, Pierre Daugy, Dommelhof Atelier
Couture : Moni Wespi
Soutien technique : Bjørn Gunnar Otten, Jonas Vanhullebusch
Technicien en tournée : Diego Echegoyen
Ingénieur technique : Joris Festjens
Son : Yoann Durant, Laryssa Kim
Ingénieur du son : Gert Aertsen, Leander Schönweger
Costumes : Sofie Durnez
Conception graphique : Fien Robbe
Remerciements : Aernout Vandewalle, CB service, Ivan Lucadamo, Christine Le Piez, Marc Van der Wielen

Thanks to Les Champs Libres – leschampslibres.fr & 4bis – le4bis-ij.com

Friday 02 July 2021
14:30 > 20:00
Les Champs Libres, Cours des Alliés, Rennes
On the square • Continuously
Saturday 03 July 2021
14:30 > 20:00
Les Champs Libres, Cours des Alliés, Rennes
On the square • Continuously

Free • No reservation required, welcome on site
More information 02 99 32 56 56
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The association is supported by the City of Rennes, the Brittany Region, the Ille-et-Vilaine Department & the ministry of culture.

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