Welcome to the
2021 Embodied Dramaturgy
Arthaus Berlin Festival
An Introduction by Juan Hurtado...
So... I have been asked to write a text, and I really wanted to write a text, but a text that never ends, a text that says end but continues, in short, an "endless text", one of those that you put the full stop and for some strange reason of life, the text continues writing... I wanted it to be like those encounters that you never want to end, like those plates of food that you long for and dream that they will never end, like those eternal embraces that once they are separated, they stay together... I wanted, in this text, to start again, and yes ladies and gentlemen, I want to start again from the end. That is to say, that this ending is a beginning... And it is, isn't it? You will say I'm crazy, but I have a theory, the theory that this has just begun. And I tried (I swear), to write a serious text, full of beautiful words, full of abundant full stops, commas and above all semicolons, some invented words, the so-called neologisms (which are always nice), and some light poetic flight, but to raise some flight, of course ... but it was impossible. I swear that I have been writing this text for several days now. I don't know if it's the heat or the never-ending phobia of this detestable pandemic, but once again, ladies and gentlemen, all forms vanish in my attempts? At first, I wrote a short story, which I found detestable, then I wrote a poem, which I found baroque hell, and now, here I am, being as sincere as possible. How difficult it is to write on behalf of others, but how beautiful! (Contradictions!)... Anyway, coming back to the subject that concerns me... I want this text to never end, and that's not possible, unless at this very moment, I keep writing at home and this becomes a sort of online performance, and... well, yes, that, even so, one day destiny will end up finishing me... (As an aside, I have a thing for psychedelia).
Talking about the festival is appealing to me, but it would be a bit objective. Today I want to talk about the event that happens in this festival.
A week ago, when I set out to write, I thought about the question of what it's like to say goodbye. There are different kinds of goodbyes. I don't want to go into detail about the types of goodbyes either, that's what Tennessee Williams is for ("The Long Goodbye", short plays, if you like). I want to talk about our goodbye. As with this text, (which I hope will never end), I'm going to find a way for this goodbye to be a way for us to meet again. I would really like time to stop, but at the same time to keep going. I have a great problem/pleasure with contrasts, contradictions? ("to be or not to be") because I want them to unify, and maybe this festival is nothing more than that, a beautiful collage of contrasts, of stories, of dreams, of poetry, images, colours, longings, etc, etc, etc, etc, and if only we could find that instant where we are all one, we have won the game. If we manage to mix all the colours of this rainbow, the goal is achieved. And of course, we are celebrating an event...! we are going to say goodbye, but see you in a little while... who takes away the opportunity to meet each other?... this journey ends, but it also begins... the sky is the limit, as a wise man said, but we must also learn to forget in order to learn, to fall in order to get over, to finish in order to continue... I am nobody without you, and you are nobody without me... mirrors are made to remind us that we exist, but we can live without mirrors, not without humans... what a miracle it is to be able to travel together...
What a miracle...,
the oasis of your embrace, my friend...,
your eyes as doors,
your hands like bridges...
How fortunate to have you in this life
full of green
full of moons,
and if I jump you catch me
and if you jump I'll help you.
How many nights,
we look at the stars
and sing to the fire
and these hearts
that have been oracle,
will always remain oracles
between us.
We will meet again
if you want us to,
on the diagonal where everything crosses,
life...
Our wave,
will continue in this ocean.
The images you see representing each piece on the Happenings page are a result of a personal practice that has found its way on to a public platform. The practice of tarot involves the reader, the read, and now the creator. Tarot is a game of trusting what you interpret and being playful in making connections. It is a pleasure to be trusted with the drawing of these images and collaborate with so many wonderful creators. There is no right or wrong way to read these, there is only difference.
To see more art from Ash Willison follow @bikingwithbangs on Instagram.
All images are the property of Ash Willison and collaborating artists. They may not be reproduced without explicit permission of the artists involved.