Viva la Vida (2004)

Watercolour paintings I created back in fall of 2004 for the spectacle of the Occasional Theatre from Sopot entitled Viva la Vida, based on the life and works of Frida Kahlo. I made 5 drawings which took part in the stage set up.

more info about Viva la Vida spectacle:

• Idea and direction: Joanna Czajkowska, Jacek Krawczyk
• Choreography and dancers: Joanna Czajkowska; Iwona Strupiechowska; Jacek Krawczyk;
• Scenery and costumes: Teatr Okazjonalny
• Contemporary work out of Frida Kahlo paintings: Mateusz Skutnik
• Music direction: Andrzej Pawłowski
• Lights direction: Bartosz Cybowski
• Premiere: 4 December 2004, 19.00 Sopocka Scena Off the Bicz;

„Viva la vida” – the title of last painting of Frida Kahlo. Performance is an inspiration from her artistic work, it is not the story about Kahlo life, but the attempt at finding universal truth in her extremely personl art. Originally it is a contemporary dialogue with Frida’s atistic work, hence the idea for inviting Mateusz Skutnik to spectacle – the graphic and cartoon artist from Gdańsk. Scenery and choreography relate to these trains performed in art of Mexican painter, which in our opinion, often tell about bad fortune of human being in really forcible way, about his suffering and attempts to survive, about complicated relationships, and first and foremost about this, and in spite of this, and maybe because of this we still want to live, create and love. So…Long live the life!

review:

The artistic work of Frida Kahlo might be liked or not, but it is impossible to have your eyes revited to her visionary , colourful paintings. The dancers of the Occasion Dance Theatre created the spectacle matching to its beauty and power effect. […] They managed to avoid a trap of illustration of biographical trains and copy of her paintings. Emotions lying in Frida’s paintings they transferred to body language of gestures. They look at her artistic work through their own experiences and sensitivity. […]. It was a great idea the artistic draw up of paintings was entrusted to Mateusz Skutnik. In watercolours he came off the literal meaning and colouring. […] On his pictures we cannot see the characteristic face of artist. There is a girl with dark hair, with slightly marked facial features. Each of us can see what she/he wants, that what is painful and pinch in her/his own corset. And the dancers in five consistent and well-though-out choreographies expressed the sadness, fight with pain and constant appetite for life.

Mirella Wąsiewicz, Gazeta Wyborcza Tri – city, Monday 6.12.04

photos: