show ghost
How can we place ourselves in a context, change it or leave it? In his solo, Jan Machacek performs in spatial models and via projections of his own body. He tries to position his body in a model space through images created by lenses, glass reflections and other means. The performance is inspired by the peppers ghost effect, a forerunner of cinema and animation technology, in which ghostly apparitions were put on stage. Machacek’s character is a hybrid figure in search of place and context: a show ghost in search of space.
He tries to establish himself between model and real space, between planned and tangible reality.
Machacek instigates a sophisticated game. As a performer, he has himself projected into a small model box, which is once a stage, then a movie set room and a display case. In an ingenious setting of cameras, projection screens and sound equipment, the artist leads us through a pandemonium of illusions.
Helmut Ploebst, Der Standard
Machacek, who studied set design and sculpture, experiments with sometimes familiar film technology in his performances and short films, bringing to light the most astonishing – and much less familiar – effects. In times when the public eye is spoiled by special effects, the classic “ghost pepper” is only occasionally used in amusement parks or museums. The performance was all the more surprising and impressive for the audience at the Vienna Festival: an evening to marvel at, which was rightly met with much applause.
Sophia Felbermair, orf.at
Credits
Video, space, performance Jan Machacek
Music, programming Oliver Stotz
Light Bartek Kubiak
Machines Jakob Scheid
Consulting Judith Staudinger
A co-production of am apparat, Tanzquartier Wien and Wiener Festwochen with the support of MA 7 Kultur Wien