The popular maxim “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” doesn’t have a universal meaning. In some languages the expression denotes choosing to ignore the harmful actions of another, in others it warns against doing the wrong thing yourself. 3hd’s “See No Evil” evening of performances at HAU Hebbel am Ufer, not only explores these differing-though-related interpretations of social agency and responsibility, but also its definition in relation to existing norms and conventions.
Perspective, interpretation, and projection are some of the psychological themes that haunt the work of Cristine Brache and Sigrid Lauren’s “Goodnight Sweet Thing.” The forty-minute live performance art piece unfolds over three Acts, beginning with a deconstructed Jello wrestling match between protagonists Mary Magdalene and Nothing Girl—two parts of the same mind in literal and psychic conflict—before the scene transforms into a Victorian psychoanalysis session and then crescendos with a 1950s American prom motif. Adapted from Brache's poetry collection of the same name, the performance intertwines poetry, movement, and a score by Ryan Woodhall, to explore the internal battle for authenticity, and examines its complex relationship with societal pressures and authority.
While “Goodnight Sweet Thing” reflects on the complexities of masking and societal performance via overlapping historical time periods, customs, and traditions, Damsel Elysium envisions an alternative world altogether. The multi-instrumentalist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist creates an expressive realm outside language. Damsel draws on their recent Whispers From Ancient Vessels release on AD 93 to enact a collection of tales and “speakings” in immersive live performances that unite sound, plants, and ritual. Their raw and organic soundscapes combine ethereal whispers with the rumbling resonance of their double bass, piano, and field recordings to evoke the voices of nature itself, speaking to its "beautiful evil" by engaging with the earth in all its sublime complexity.
Running for over two evenings, the “See No Evil” double-bill will include a one-hour intermission and afterparty with DJ sets by slimgirl fat playing the Friday, and Alice Z Jones on Saturday.
