Which gaze do we take?

Dear visitors to Gessnerallee, dear artists

Which bodies, which actions or which images do you find attractive - and why? What gaze do you take? Questions like these are the focus of the dance performance ‘Eat Me Now!’ by Arlette Dellers and FLUX Crew, which we will be showing at Gessnerallee from 22 May. The piece deals with the objectification of queer and female bodies: How can structural mechanisms of power be made visible? How are these reinforced through the fetishisation or devaluation of lesbian sexuality? And how could a ‘lesbian gaze’ be developed that creates an alternative image of sexiness and tenderness to the normative male gaze?

Five queer dancers with different backgrounds of movement from contemporary dance, breaking, dancehall, afro, hip-hop and swimming try to unravel and ultimately transform Western patriarchal ideas of sexuality and hotness together.

The performance on 22 May will be followed by a premiere party at Stall6. And after the performance on 23 May, there will be a follow-up discussion in which you can find out more about the artists, their working methods and the topics covered in ‘Eat Me Now!’. Further information can be found on our website.

Just three days after the premiere of ‘Eat Me Now!’, we can look forward to another dance piece: on 25 May, we are showing the guest performance ‘WITH OR WITHOUT YOU - a Queer-Crip-Tanzperformance’. In it, the disabled dancers Fia Neises and Irene Giró invite you into spaces of ‘access intimacy’ based on the concept of the disabled and queer author and activist Mia Mingus. Suspended in the air, they surrender to the illusion of independence and disrupt our habits of seeing, hearing and time. Accompanied by musician Jana Sotzko, they share stories of ambivalence and intimacy. Anyone who wants to can become an active part of it or just enjoy watching.

The guest performance is made possible by a cooperation between Gessnerallee and disframe - the Migros Culture Percentage funding and network project for inclusive cultural practice.

And now on to the programme tips and an exciting newspaper article about the ‘Lesbian Gaze’:

Programme recommendations of the week

8 May, 6 to 7.30 pm

‘Lick Life Against the Direction of Its Fur’ by Tyra Wigg

How does our body react to social media use? Choreographer Tyra Wigg explores the relationship between feeds, algorithms and our digestive system. More information

8, 10, 12, 13 May, 8 pm

‘In Case of Emergency - Anatomy of a Catastrophe’ by Extraleben

When the Sihldamm in Einsiedeln bursts, the Gessnerallee has to be evacuated. The work simulates an emergency and scrutinises the premises of disaster prevention in a critical and playful way. More information

14 May, 5.30 to 7 pm

‘Art in Conflict: Social art initiatives out in the street’ by artasfoundation

Artistic creation in crisis regions is confronted with challenging questions. In this series of monthly talks, different actors come together to reflect on their experiences in the form of a round table discussion. This time with Vera Ryser (founding member of the collective Das Wandbild muss weg! (The Mural Must Go!)) and Asida Butba (SKLAD). More information

Newspaper

Der Lesbian Gaze und der Blick als Einladung 

This article from the second print edition of our newspaper is about the ‘gaze’, which in theatre becomes a field of negotiation of relationships and desire between the performers and the audience. ‘Eat Me Now!’ dancer Arlette Dellers says: ’From a queer perspective, the lesbian gaze is a tool for differentiating oneself from heterosexuality and masculinity.’ To the article (only in German)

PS: Since the start of the season last summer, we have already published three issues of our newspaper and the fourth is currently in production. If you too appreciate good cultural stories and a lovingly produced print newspaper, then subscribe to the Gessnerallee newspaper. You can find all the information on our website.

We hope you enjoy reading it and look forward to your visit!

The Gessnerallee team

PS: Do you enjoy good cultural stories? Or do you know someone who doesn't like going to the theatre so much, but loves reading? Then we recommend a subscription to our printed newspaper, which is published four times a season. It costs CHF 20 (excl. postage) and you can order it directly at zeitung@gessnerallee.ch.