ESKIN PERFORMANCES FOR THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED in BASEL (2019) and in DURBAN (2018)

EN:These ESKIN performances began with workshops led by Jill Scott in which visually challenged participants, two choreographers and a media team of 5 media artists worked together. The idea of ESKIN (The Crust of the Earth is our Skin!) was used as a metaphor and developed for public performances about how humans need to actively reduce their (anthropogenic) emissions of greenhouse gases. Each performance took place on an especially designed stage, with interactive wearable interfaces played by the performers. By performing with these real-time audio triggering devices, the dancers were given the control over part of the soundscape during the performances. These helped the participants to explore how climate change can be felt and heard rather than only seen. The wall size screen behind the stage also changed according to the real time movements of the performers via custom software that tracked their movements. ESKIN 5 focused on biodiversity loss from climate change in the surrounding areas of Basel and the Jura Mountains, the effect of climate on temperatures in the city of Basel, overuse of the soil, the problems of micro-plastics in the Rhine River and extinctions in the Jura forest. The last scene was about the need for mitigation and activism about alternative energy resources in Switzerland.

EN: These ESKIN performances began with workshops led by Jill Scott, in which participants with visual impairments, two choreographers and a team of five media artists worked together. The idea of ESKIN (The Crust of the Earth is our Skin!) was used as a metaphor and developed for public performances about the need for humans to actively reduce their (anthropogenic) greenhouse gas emissions. Each performance took place on a specially designed stage with interactive, wearable interfaces operated by the performers. By performing with these real-time audio triggers, the dancers were given control over part of the soundscape during the performances. They helped participants explore how climate change can be felt and heard, rather than just seen. The wall-sized screen behind the stage also changed according to the real-time movements of the dancers, which were tracked using special software. ESKIN 5 focused on the loss of biodiversity due to climate change around Basel and in the Jura, the effects of climate on temperatures in the city of Basel, the overuse of soil, the problems with microplastics in the Rhine and forest dieback in the Jura. The last scene dealt with the need for containment and activism in relation to alternative energy sources in Switzerland.