Saa by som borger, Saa by som art

Saa by som borger, Saa by som art – The city as citizen, the city as species – is a four hour long performance ritual paying tribute to the diversity of life. Researchers are talking about a biodiversity crisis and a sixth mass extinction, where the extinction of species is happening 10,000 times faster than…

Saa by som borger, Saa by som art – The city as citizen, the city as species – is a four hour long performance ritual paying tribute to the diversity of life.

Researchers are talking about a biodiversity crisis and a sixth mass extinction, where the extinction of species is happening 10,000 times faster than before. We humans take up too much space. Danish nature lacks space. The vibrant and diverse landscape lacks space.

Rebelling against the dominance of the human species, I create a nature zone of 10 ton pile of soil in the middle of the city, investigating habitability, interspecies meetings and communities.

I use masks and perform a series of circular bodily actions incorporating the elements: sun, air, stone, wind and water which are being performed in a precise set of manner.

With the soil, I rebuild and reenvision a habitat which makes space for more-than-human species before I put on a mask of a species.

The project was developed and realized as a solo work under Metropolis – Copenhagen International Theatre’s summer program 2022.

In this context, I created a ritual in a traveling 10 tons pile of soil where I connected with various species as a comment on the current threat to biodiversity and the climate.

The pile of soil appeared for seven days on seven central squares in Copenhagen, including Rådhuspladsen, Kgs. Nytorv, at Rundetårn and Nytorv.

Every day, I awakened a species through mask and movements.

Throughout the seven days, approximately 400 participants and thousands of passersby experienced the four hours performance ritual.

The performance rituals have been performed at:

IETM Trekløft-alanten. 2023 International network for contemporary performing arts in Aarhus as a 24 hours ritual with a 10 ton pile of soil moved by local cyclists and guests of IETM. Honoring the plant species the ploughman’s spikenard, a responsibility species of the city Aarhus: https://bora-bora.dk/forestillinger/saaerbysomborgersaaerbysomart/

Passage Festival Green Hawker. 2023 in Elsinore as a performative parade with threatened species of Elsinore and masks and costumes made by the locals. Honoring the species the green hawker, a responsibility species of the city Elsinore: https://passagefestival.nu/performance/passage-planet/

Spire Festival Great Crested Newt. 2023 in Holbæk as a one hour ritual with a pile of branches and twigs honoring the species the great newt: https://www.spirefestival.com/happenings2023#linh_le

Bornholms Kulturuge 2023 at Kultippen Hasle, a 4 hours ritual with sunset and the landscape of Kultippen, honoring the orchid (in Danish) “Sværd-Skovlilje”: https://bornholmskulturuge.dk/da/program/svaerd-skovlilje-saa-by-som-borger-saa-by-som-art/

Masks: Randi Kjær.

Photos: Frej Pries Schmedes