Dennis Feser

Rauhnacht

  • 44%homeland
  • 22%Africa
  • 34%ritual
[Twelfth Night]

Dennis Feser’s video work “Rauhnacht” centres on a fascination for Perchten and their manifestations and deeper meaning. Together with Nigerian performer Jelili Atiku he traces our perception of identity, authenticity and naturalness. According to popular belief, around the Twelfth Night the laws of nature are suspended, and the boundaries to other worlds stand open – animals can speak and predict the future, good and evil spirits roam the land.
Feser works between performance, video and sculpture. A very important feature of his installations is the bizarre costumes he designs, which he sees as body extensions. In this way he conducts a strange and ironic examination into identity patterns and the idea of what is natural. The tradition of the Perchtenlauf, a winter procession of men in scary Perchten costumes, originated in the early 19th century and coincides with the spread of nationalistic ideas in Europe, when the construction of ethnicity played a significant role. This folk custom served to promote identity and was also intended to serve orientation at the time when the year turned.
Shot in Styria, Feser’s installation performance video renegotiates borders: the Alpine masquerade is juxtaposed with West African traditions, the use of masks highlights current fears and alienations. The concept of homeland and constructions of folk identity are infiltrated and exposed to other’s perspective.
Co-produced by steirischer herbst, Goethe-Institut Nigeria & Dennis Feser
Dennis Feser: Rauhnacht

Dates and Facts

Première
Sun 28/09, 18.00 – 22.00

Union Schützengesellschaft Bad Radkersburg

google map


Sun 28/09,
02/10 – 05/10, 09/10 – 12/10 &
16/10 – 18/10, 18.00 – 22.00
Antoniuskirche

Opening
Sat 27/09, 19.00
Antoniuskirche

Sat 04/10 & Sun 05/10,
17.00 – 21.00
Kulturzentrum Schloss Wildon


Admission free

German language

Commissioned by steirischer herbst

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Credits

Concept Dennis Feser
With Jelili Atiku
Shooting Locations Tragöß, Grüner See & Hörndlalm
Thanks to Marc-André Schmachtel (Goethe Institut Nigeria), Martin Baasch (Mousonturm Frankfurt), Hochschule RheinMain (Media: Conception and Production), Bettina Habsburg (Universalmuseum Joanneum), Roswitha Orac-Stipperger (Universalmuseum Joanneum), Franz & Michaela Hartner (Hörndlalm), Birgit Illmeyer (Hörndlalm), Nicole Zaiser, Rupert Lehofer & Karin Then
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