Other Spaces creates cosmic compassion

One of the most renowned performing arts group, Other Spaces is a Helsinki-based performing arts collective that focuses on continuous exercise, exercise as a form of performance and transformation as the theme of exercise.

For Other Spaces, visiting the Saari Residence is a unique opportunity to assemble and finish a project that has lived as various versions since 2015. With the Avalokiteshvara: Superclusters performance, the group is looking for new ways of working.

The group is known for its collective, corporal transformation exercises. It is accustomed to performing outdoors and in all kinds of “other spaces,” but this is the first time the transformation will extend to the surroundings themselves, be they living or inanimate, human or non-human. No one and nothing remains outside of the “Superclusters” that are created in the performance!

“Compassion” is the name for the force beyond individuals that is needed to keep things together. It is no coincidence that the topic has been processed in many art and science projects recently. Compassion emerges when all other ties that bind the world together fail. In our performance, we seek experiental corporal unity. It is a practical exercise in compassion that is done together.

The challenge is quite big, and we are glad that we will have both time and space at the residence to concentrate on meeting the challenge. The idea is to create the first clusters together with other Saari residents and the locals. Let the summer of 2017 be remembered as the summer of growing cosmic compassion!

 

 

OTHER SPACES

The Other Spaces collective has worked since 2004, developing their entirely own aesthetics and working methods. The core of the collective’s work is bodily exercises that tap into forms of existence and experience that are alien to humans, i.e. that enable visiting “other spaces”.

The group creates and develops exercises, demonstrates them in public spaces and events, teaches them to people in workshops and prepares thematic performances based on them. Examples of these include Aniara 2006, Odradek variations 2007 and Golem variations 2011, all of which had their first performances at the Kiasma Theatre. Various urban culture events and festivals have become the natural venue for the group’s performances.

The group is summoned by Esa Kirkkopelto, Doctor of Philosophy, performing artist and professor of art research (University of the Arts). The Other Spaces collective is characterised by its large size, collaboration between different fields of art and democratic activities. The approximately 30 members of the collective represent professionals in different fields of art.