LISSIE RETTENWANDER
Born in Kitzbühel, raised on a farm in Gundhabing. There her musical career begins. Rettenwander uncompromisingly lets herself in for the balancing act between tradition and avant-garde. As a composer-performer she works with her voice, with zither, accordion, guitar, metronomes, tuning forks, toy songbirds, herding calls, electronics, rooms, and the mini-amplifier Vox. “In her acoustic world there is simultaneity and multitude in one. The palette of acoustic events ranges far and wide, the dramaturgy allows for acoustic images of the highest intensity and colourfulness. With her music, Lissie Rettenwander brings together the most diverse elements and for this very reason, creates unity in exuberant imagination. This talent for the extreme brings forth new things, intrigues, and draws attention.” (Wolfgang Praxmarer)
Kollektiv KLAUS
Kollektiv KLAUS was founded in 2014 by seven women from different cultural backgrounds, generations and artistic disciplines. This diversity is an integral part of their artistic work, which reflects in their performances. Their interventions in public space are site-specific and centre on a decidedly female perspective. The group thus draws attention to stereotypes and standardisations, but also to the strategic importance of structured action in breaking down clichés.
The collective reaches for a wide range of topics, from social inequality, across current relevant aspects in society to questions concerning access to art for people from all economic and cultural backgrounds. They articulate in statements in favour of visibility, equality and self-empowerment of everyone.
PINK BATH
The intervention PINK BATH by Kollektiv KLAUS is a female connoted dance performance that explores softness, anger, exhaustion, confidence, freedom, and solidarity.
Within the context of the public pool, the female body is particularly exposed. Here, the women performers Manuela Deac, Ella Necker, Gabi Seeleitner and Hannah Zauner rest peacefully in the sunbathing field. Whereas for individuals generally read as female, this requires constant alertness to avoid unwanted glances, catcalls or potentially stressful situations. Kollektiv KLAUS empirically explores in this performance whether a body that is constantly under such observation can come to rest at all.
CONSTRUCTION CHOIR COLLECTIVE
The Construction Choir Collective formed in 2019 with the aim of bringing experimental singing into public spaces. In terms of methodology, the choir has always focussed on creating resonance for unusual spaces and breaking down classical notions of choir music as well as the hierarchies between performers and listeners. Central, however, is their emphasis on collaborative artistic work as an immaterial and human-supported construct. This framework of people quickly became a metaphor for what constitutes the collective’s work on the social matrix. This blue-collar avant-garde’s trademark is the boiler suit, which blends into the daily work routine of the public pool.
The musical repertoire is focussed on contemporary and ancient musical pieces. Early Orthodox chorales are mixed with modern and abstract musical elements. This collective perceives artistic practice not as detached from reality, but as a genuine component of functioning societies.
In 2020, czirp czirp already collaborated with the collective in cooperation with the Wiener Festwochen in realising a performance on Meidlinger Platzl: MORPHOLOGY OF A FAUN.
BENJAMIN TOMASI: COMPOSITION FOR EIGHT EYES
Sound and media artist Benjamin Tomasi (*Bolzano, Italy) works across disciplines. His practice involves sound, data, concrete material, people, and actions that he merges and augments through electronic and analogue processing. Themes such as spirituality, nature, digital oversaturation, acceleration, and systems gone wild repeatedly appear in his work. The question, however, what constitutes being human?, runs throughout.
Benjamin has collaborated as an artist in the series CLUB RADIOKOJE in 2019.
In 2021, he developed the sound video Narcissus and Echo together with animation artist Michael Mandl: https://www.czirpczirp.cc/?p=1968
His 2004 silent composition for eight eyes, premiered in Reykjavik, will be adapted for the 2024 edition of “Machbare Utopien”.
COMPOSITION FOR EIGHT EYES
Benjamin’s composition for eight eyes explores the silent, rhythmic interplay of the perhaps most subtle form of human expression: the gaze. Gazes and blinks are fundamental to human interaction because they convey feelings, hidden intentions and gestures without words. In a community, these visual signals help to build trust, empathy and mutual understanding. His piece highlights this rather inconspicuous act as a collective practice that fosters a deep human connection within us.
The public at the pool is invited to participate as performers within.
DAS ERSTE OTTAKRINGER BLOCKFLÖTENGEWITTER
The average European is probably familiar with the recorder from agonising music lessons and school rehearsals in primary school, the purpose of which was to enable initial contact with music. Although this was likely not entirely in the interests of elementary school children, it is difficult to argue with the importance of these exercises, given that the recorder is the oldest instrument in human musical practice. Das Erste Ottakringer Blockflötengewitter [The First Recorder Thunderstorm of Ottakring] is dedicated to this exceptional instrument in frivolous and satirical formations. They update this dusty primary school nostalgia with 8-bit Game Boy aesthetics and clever arrangements.
Based on its cinematic dry run of the Flötenrevue from 2020, the Erste Ottakringer Blockflötengewitter’s performance department developed a mini synchro-swimming and recorder revue suitable for the pool, and the 2024 edition of czirp czirp CLUB RADIOKOJE in Vienna’s historical Kongressbad.
Synchro-swimming meets recorder and Game Boy. This flute revue is an ironic reference to dance performances from the 1920s and the Hollywood synchro swimming films and aqua musicals by Esther Williams. Classic swimming parades and synchronized swimming formations are given a witty and feminist reinterpretation. Colorful accessories as well as the polyphonic flute-and-gameboy composition “Wasps” make this performance unique. Guaranteed waterproof and this time, in playback (for a change)!
Flutists: Lilly Lightning, Irene Unwetter, Petra Sturm, Veronika Le Blitz, Teja Rettungsboje, Denise Bader, Judith Wellengang, Stefan Schauer.
Composition: “Wasps” by Melanie Pilat.
Gameboy sound and recording: Stefan Schauer.
Concept, dramaturgy, and choreography of the flute revue: Petra Sturm.
Choreography Supervisor: Julia Danzinger.
Artistic production of the flute revue: Elisabeth Falkinger, Veronika Persché, Petra Sturm.