Grenzstadt

Since 2003 recoil has experimented with artist collaborations across genre and borders. Amongst other projects we have developed the concept GRENZSTADT, which is a trans national artist collaboration via the Internet. We named our project GRENZSTADT (Border Town) as it aims to search and dilute the concept of borders.

The performance revolves around an audio-video stream established on the Internet linking together two or more locations situated in different countries. Both audience and performers are able to see, hear and react to each other despite the physical distance and national borders separating them. Musicians compose music live on synchronized synthesizers and dancers perform a duet with a virtual dance partner, streamed live from the other country.

Through this web of digital information the performance is seeking to overcome the physical separation by creating a close interaction between the venues
– a challenge to our perception of distance, contact and intimacy.

In September 2006 GRENZSTADT was performed between O3one Project in the center of Belgrade and Culture-box in the heart of Copenhagen. Electronic music, live video and DJ’s was streamed live between the two venues via audio-video Internet link. Framed by this setup, a Serbian and a Danish dancer performed a dynamic duet despite the 1350 km and 5 borders separating them.

During the event, the audience from the two cities were able to both see and hear each other, allowing them to share an evening of music and dance that reaches far beyond borders.

From where – to where this project could be realized is limited only by the access to the Internet. We hope to initiate a development of artist collaborations across borders that can give new and different shapes to the GRENZSTADT concept.
Grenzstadt was performed September 6th -7th and 13th-14th, 2006