The true reality fell into The Valley

The new forms of theater or performances open up many debates and new dialogues. For sure, the topic of the new terminology would also take a great part. Because the boarders between separate genres are partly more fragile and partly more difficult to distinguish.  Therefore we may really talk about newness. On of it is the newest creation by Jakub Kopecký called the Valley (the first night on the 29th November 2008 in NoD.Roxy in Prague). Something in between an installation, an image, graphics and maybe even performance.

The true reality and the real image. So far. We are entering the 3D space highlighted by lines of light and there is a big mirror wardrobe in the middle. We are able to recognize a figure in the flashes of strong technical light. A beautiful young woman holding knife and fork. Screens on the three walls and there on them people chewing. Each of the screen is alive, it has its own speaker, it makes its own sounds, it acts  entirely “on its own”, as if it was living puppet in somebody's hands. The uneasiness in their muscle movements suggest that their reality is disputable and just later on the spectator recognizes that he/she is embraced with looks of some monstrous replica of flesh-and-bone creatures. The plan is simple because the reality is also simple. While hearing the Baudrillard words “The reality chased out the reality” coming out of the lips of  the changeable faces, a living creature is withdrawing out of its body, takes up a mask and ribbons which are lead by invisible omnipresent machine. The natural movement is disappearing, mechanization has quasi-penetrated the roots of the unique anima.

The installation which is displayed in front of us takes the attributes belonging rather to a visual art work, also a bit to the theater, but the most to the new computer graphic design. The performer is fading away and is becoming not really unimportant but rather replaceable.  Even though he stands in the center, all of the technologies are gripping him and he is retreating them. Mechanized dance in a restricted space of a mirror cube finally disappears and leaves its place to the stronger one. Well at the end it's only a part of the installation. And the theatrical space submits to the technical 3D space.

The set, or rather a playing space, is installed with very sensitive artistic accuracy.  Despite of the dominating impression of monstrosity, it keeps the status of harmonizing. However, its neat cacophonic tendencies result in purity and eccuracy in expression of the technical gesture. Even though it presents shaped monsters and masks, but at the same time it presents also sensitivity of a human being which is not so direct, but owns inflexible curvatures and layers in warm tons which are not competitive being reflected in the cold mirror or projected on the back-lit screens. The costume and the appearance of the performers implies it, however second in the row they enter the stage with white faces. Breathing-out of the life comes gradually. The digital screens are communicating among each other, they support each other, step by step they come through reformation from faces being transferred onto people to physical networks wherein we really are only points of axis.

The spectator is surrounded with this new reality. He can move freely within it, look from different sides and more over enjoy the directness of the new shapes. Hopefully, this initiated path of Jakub Kopecký will grow into further pieces and new formations.

Written after the first night on the 1st December 2008