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xxx xxxx maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 DECEMBER 2018 5 THIS WEEK THEATRE tistically join the two islands of the Mediter- ranean, by offering glimpses on the utopian drives and the dystopian fallouts that char- acterise the Mediterranean area. Atlantropa was a gigantic engineering and colonisation idea devised by German architect Herman Sorgel in the 1920s, proposing to drain the Mediterranean forming a European super- continent. Today, more than ever, the Atlantropa scheme – of forming land bridges in the Mediterranean – seems relevant as it is sud- denly fortified by contemporary intensity to remind us of the limits on freedom – mi- grants and refugees – and the destiny of the inhabitants of this area. Even though Atlantropa associations in connection to displacement and dislocation can be found in my earliest exhibitions (dat- ing back to the late '90s), in my most recent projects I allowed the full resonance of this theme to raise a number of inquiries relat- ing to the ways Ι as an artist could approach the tension between the aporetic visibility or invisibility of border-crossing and the fluid or mobile zones of crisis. Altantropa-X at the Maltese Pavilion will testify a topos, a transcultural space, a neu- ralgic border zone, in which multiple and heterogeneous crossings are performed and intertwined, attractive in its diversity, but also confusing in its dynamism. Finally, what kind of connections between Malta and Cyprus do you hope to establish and elaborate upon with 'Atlantropa- X', and what would you say are some of the reasons why we should continue to explore and cultivate these same connections? Malta and Cyprus are 'in-between' places which remain open-ended and dynamic constructions. The two islands are much more than geographical references, they were and still are crossings, open gates, bridges, constant changing settings of ideas, meanings and appearances. Inspired by this topographical area, my research process was about entering this area through differ- ent gates/ports, guided by artistic expres- sions that offer fresh itineraries and distinct routes, different associations and new criti- cal thoughts. Atlantropa-X draws on this plural space, on a territory in which nowadays has new challenges launched and pursued, charged with history but also with conflicts be- tween the different cultures and religions, a place where memory defines the people and invokes the silent but excruciating forces exercised on its shores. Bearing in mind that it is a mutual destiny and not merely a shared past that connects Cyprus and Malta, one of my most prominent intentions focuses on extracting this dis- tinctive area from its unique and eternal condition of sea of Antiquity, and recon- structing it as the sea of troubled contem- poraneity and of an unknown and chal- lenging future. The 2019 edition of the Venice Biennale will take place between May 11 and Novem- ber 24 destiny It takes a village… DESPITE having a population of a mere 1,000 people, the district of Moosach in Munich has a vibrant and rich artistic community. From an idyl- lic theatre built in Bauhaus style, to a converted farmhouse that serves as an artist's space for various creative projects, to cultural events organised for the community in the city centre, Moosach is indeed a special district: it is a wonderful example of what can be achieved with ambition, hard work and a community that openly embraces this cultural vibrancy. Community is the key word here as it was thanks to another community that I discovered this district and its cul- tural vitality. IETM, the international network for contemporary perform- ing arts, recently organised its biannual plenary meeting in Munich. The out- ing to Moosach was one of a number of trips held a day before the plenary started, the so-called pre-meeting trips. Indeed the fact that I discovered the village together with an international group of people who work in the arts world gave the trip added significance. There is something particularly spe- cial about unearthing such treasures together with others, and being able to chat and share our thoughts and reactions. I found myself re-living fun school outings as the group of some 12 people – that included a dancer, a theatre studies student, a theatre pro- ducer, a director and a dance producer – clambered onto a bus and we set off on our journey. The fact that this was an international group understandably made things more interesting as we shared best practices, and stories from our corners of the world. Many were interested to discover more about the village, and to meet the community running it: "As an art- ist based in a rural area, and with a his- tory of presenting contemporary work for rural audiences, I was really excited to visit Moosach," commented Alister Lownie, director at Two Destination Language, a theatre company based in the UK. The first part of the outing saw the group visit the Meta Theater. Built in Bauhaus style, the building is a per- former's paradise. In a style typical of the movement the building empha- sizes geometric forms; the quadrangle motif repeated in the wooden floored adaptable performance/rehearsal space and then in the seven half-levels that spiral up above – living quarters for its founder and architect, Axel Tangerding and for artist residencies. Looking out of the ceiling to floor glass windows one is met with only country- side: fields, trees, and more trees. The performances and training here offer the opportunity for artists to take inspiration from and use the surround- ing nature in their work. The renowned theatre director Jerzy Grotowski once took his students out of the theatre and into the nearby trees, using them as their working space. Founded as an experiment in 1978, the theatre has its roots in the inspira- tion Tangerding found in Ellen Stuart, who had set up her La Mama Experi- mental Theatre Club in New York and enabled young, unknown directors and actors to try out their ideas for a new theatre. And so in a similar vein, the Meta Theater serves as a welcoming platform for performers and creative artists without the pressures, financial and just the faster pace, that a city like Munich presents. A highlight was definitely the Noh theatre performance by Akira Mat- sui, designated an 'Important Intan- gible Cultural Asset' by the Japanese government. The highly codified 600-year-old theatre form is consid- ered the oldest major theatre art that is still performed to this day. Matsui danced the Noh classic Shiro Tamura and followed this by the one-act Rock- aby, which Irish playwright Samuel Beckett had dedicated to Noh thea- tre. Through these two performances, Matsui wanted to show the mutability of Noh, from the traditional to a con- temporary style. "It was great to see the ambitious programming of complex, challenging work in a small community, and to see that local people embraced the vibran- cy that both the resident artists and the programming brought their place," ex- plained Lownie. One of the attractions to the trip at- tended by movers, makers and shak- ers in the arts community, was dis- covering how this village built itself up to be such an attractive creative hub: "Many of the places I've worked at haven't been so wealthy, and it takes time to build familiarity with cultural activities, so I was really interested in how Tangerding had used the situa- tion of a new building on the edge of the village to entice internationally renowned artists to the place while allowing a curiosity on the part of his neighbours. To make a success of such a project needs long-term [time and financial] investment, and it was clear that Tangerding himself had been in- strumental in creating the Moosach of today," added Lownie. The rural creative community stretches beyond the theatre to an impressive nearby atelier. The home and working space of Hubert Maier, this wooden edifice serves not only as Maier's workshop, but is also another space for amateur artists to come to- gether, paint, do crafts and help out the artistic community. Most impres- sive was certainly Maier, who is cur- rently building his house in reverse: he is making the furniture, around which he will then build his own house. It was at this atelier that the outing group really got to an up-close taste of the Moosach community. Unassum- ing, yet warmly welcoming, various members of the community started showing up as the day approached its close, with a variety of homemade, traditional dishes. From 'radi' (radish- es), to leberkäse (a form of meatloaf), obatzda (a kind of cheese dip), pret- zels and one local's homemade beer, the visitors were treated to a verita- ble feast. As we sat, we mingled and shared our stories, our ambitions as artists. Jordi Perez, director at CiA Sargan- tana/La Vilella in Spain, was brim- ming with enthusiasm. "Learning about such an interest- ing project that has been working, successfully, for so long was a great inspiration and gave me some of the answers that I was looking for," he mused, adding how even after all these years, he could still feel "the [initial] inspiration and commitment needed to start a project like this." The project, was, as he put it, not just re- lated to 'construction', but also, "The performance and the engagement of those who offered us a great evening sharing their table and food with us." Perhaps the effervescent student Laudia Lás's words about how the trip has motivated her, sums up many of our feelings of inspira- tion most aptly: "Next to a brilliant performance on the last day of the plenary, this trip was the most im- portant, inspiring and refreshing experience of the whole event. As we were sitting at the table together and eating that great dinner to- gether, I had a short talk with Tan- gering about my very fresh idea of organising activities in rural areas. Since the trip I've been constantly very intensely engaged in what is my biggest life project so far!" The IETM plenary meeting was held in Munich between November 1 and 4. For more information, log on to: www. ietm.org From Noh performances, to a Bauhaus theatre and a man who is building his own house in reverse, VERONICA STIVALA discovered a special village in Munich that is setting an example for what can be achieved when there is ambition and hard work in a community