Temple of Alternative Histories

Initiated by Anna Rún Tryggvadóttir, Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson, and Cassandra Edlefsen Lasch.

The transdisciplinary art project Temple of Alternative Histories (TAH) revisits the many entanglements between nature and culture and seeks to discuss current perceptions of time and matter. How can mythological narratives impact nature and vice versa? By highlighting generative processes, TAH facilitates contemplation of the pressing issues raised by today’s environmental crisis. Taking narrational shifts in history into account, the project as a whole attempts to readdress hierarchical boundaries between artistic and scientific disciplines. What spaces and forms of mediation can enhance a public, artistic, and scientific debate about the current states of affairs? 

How do we pose questions to bring to the oracles of our time?

TAH invites together the general public in Kassel with international professionals, visual artists, performers, as well as cognitive scientists, care practitioners, and non-human subjects. The processual project unfolds between June and September 2022 at Staatstheater Kassel, coinciding with documenta fifteen. Consisting of three major components—an arts installation, public programme, and stage work—TAH is inspired by the origins of the theatre as a ritualistic meeting place, a structure built around an empty metaphorical space intended to stage and host meaning. All aspects aim to explore the transformative, potentially cathartic, communal possibilities for our time.

Temple of Materialised Histories: Immersive exhibition of kinetic sculpture and sound art echoing present and historical surroundings
Opera Foyer, Staatstheater Kassel
June 15–September 24, 2022
Free admission

Temple of Emerging Histories: Interactive public programme of guided sensory experiences, and interdisciplinary talks on future landscapes
Opera foyer, Staatstheater Kassel
June 15–September 24, 2022
Free admission

Temple of Appropriated Histories: Stage production dissecting cultural influences leading to times of catastrophe and questioning acts of catharsis
Staatstheater Kassel
July 9–24, 2022 
Premiere: July 9, 2022
Tickets

TAH artistic directors: Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson (IS) a theatre director, and author, Anna Rún Tryggvadottir (IS) a visual artist, and Cassandra Edlefsen Lasch (US) a curator, editor, and writer.

Highlighting the unfolding of creative processes, the inaugural opening inquires how social and environmental architectures can facilitate generative acts by assembling an interactive programme with the curators Rhea Dall, and Jonatan Habib Engqvist, birth doula Camalo Gaskin, design duo studio b severin, artist duo Lundahl & Seitl, art historians and social scientists Dehlia Hannah, Lydia Goehr, Johanna Leinius, and Mi You, the contemporary circus company Weibel Weibel Co., and Staatstheater Kassel artistic director Florian Lutz.

In Temple of Materialised Histories, kinetic sculptures by Anna Rún Tryggvadóttir directly derive from the materials used to build the theater’s surrounding architecture, reflecting lost interdependencies in the human relationship to elements excavated and extracted from the earth. Her audio work, Reflecting Materials (2022), offers visitors a path to contemplate these elements through a prism of “factual” storytelling.

As a part of Temple of Emerging Histories, the mutating, site-sensitive work of Lundahl & Seitl, Symphony of a Missing Room—Echoes of Alternative Histories (2022), responds to Staatstheater Kassel and TAH with a choreography of movements, and technological experiments that trigger a process where the visitor perceives a present in negotiation between senses and reason. Limited time slots to experience the AR work in the opening days are available here. 

Temple of Approriated Histories, written and directed by Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson brings to the stage ongoing collaborations with art and theatre professionals, researchers of the University of Kassel, the community of Scientists for Future, the full spectrum of Staatstheater Kassel, and representatives of the local Kassel community.

The continued public programme will be announced and updated here. 

Temple of Alternative Histories TAH is presented by Staatstheater Kassel. It is supported by The Nordic Culture Fund, The Nordic Culture Point, and The Icelandic Art Grant. The collaboration with the University of Kassel and Scientists for Future is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of Science Year 2022—Participate!

For further information please visit the website.
Press and communication: info [​at​] templeofalternativehistories.com