Productiehuis Rotterdam: Rotterdamse Schouwburg & V2_

[marjolein at v2.nl]

Kurort: Lecture_simulation
By Angelika Oei and R.A. Verouden.

Saturday 21 December 2003
Starts: 20:30 hours
Location: kleine zaal, Rotterdamse Schouwburg
Entrance: 5,- euro
Reservation number: +31 (0)10 411 8110

Angelika Oei and R.A Verouden will present the first lecture_simulation on 
their new project: the construction of 'Kurort'.

This interactive media installation will in the years to come be developed 
in collaboration with V2_Lab. 'Kurort' aims to be the mental equivalent of 
a health Spa: a kurort for the mind. The health spa phenomenon kurort 
traditionally is a place, often situated around natural mineral water 
sources to visit for a period of time. It offers therapies based on the 
supposedly healthy effects of exposure to a certain climate, of drinking or 
bathing in the source water, of external or internal applied minerals, 
covering in mud, special cleansing diets etc. Guests take their time and 
concentrate on themselves, sidelining the rest of the world for a while. 
Recovery and strength of constitution should be the result. Does it work? 
Probably yes.

'Kurort' will be a collection of interconnected spaces that the visitor can 
browse and explore, but 'Kurort' will also have a mind of its own; a 
synthetic identity called Lizzie, that will reside in the complex digital 
system. Lizzie will generate treatments and offer each visitor an 
individual performance. Actual and virtual experiences will play equal roles.

This evening program consists of three parts:

Lecture:
In this first phase both artists are scanning the scientific field to 
collect recent discoveries, hypotheses and dreams of different scientists 
about the mind, memory and the role of emotion. In this lecture_simulation 
various aspects of the 'making of Kurort' come across. In this phase all 
ingredients are still floating around, gathering, mixing sometimes, 
disconnecting, jumping, not allowed to land yet; where will the metaphors 
of 'Kurort' and theater meet?

Simulation:
Short simulations, associations and references will be used as 
sketch-elements to provide a first view on the potential and complexity of 
the project.

Discussion:
The audience will be invited to discuss the (im)possibilities of this 
project. Will it be possible to create such a place? Could a visit to 
'Kurort' lead to a new strictly individualized and virtual form of theatre? 
Or should we cover ourselves in mud instead?

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*** Productiehuis Rotterdam is a collaboration between the Rotterdamse 
Schouwburg, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van 
Beuningen and V2_Institute for the Unstable Media.***