© Berlin
Berlin Antwerp
Bonanza
In 2003 Berlin (Bart Baele, Caroline Rochlitz and Yves Degryse - Antwerp) started the serie Holocene (the Holocene is the current geological era). The starting point of each project in Holocene is always located in a city or a region somewhere on the planet. Berlin does a profound research and then selects a medium or a combination of media on the basis of that study. Berlin works with many others in both artistic and academic domains, resulting in a series of intriguing city portraits. Berlin likes to perform its productions in different circuits both in Belgium and abroad: theatres, exhibition spaces, festivals, special locations... The pilot episode Holocene 1 - Jerusalem was presented in 2004. Holocene 2 - Iqaluit (2005) was filmed one month in the arctic and was a mixture between a documentary film and live-theatre. Holocene 3 - Bonanza (2006) is a unique cinematic portrait of a desolate mining town and is still on tour.
Once upon a time there was a little town,
the smallest in Colorado [USA],
with five friendly houses
and the Rocky Mountains lying at their feet.
Snow covers the streets in wintertime,
the Kerber Creek runs through the village
and if you look long enough
you can even see the elves.
Once there were 6000 inhabitants catered for by 36 saloons, 7 dance halls and an immense number of prostitutes. Their motto was: get in, get rich, get out. Now there are only 7 permanent residents, immersed in their own spirituality, living on a hotbed of accusations, gossip, murder and fear. Bonanza is a microcosm of the world, the residents claim. Berlin portrays this world-in-miniature on a scale model [7m x 3m] of the town and five film screens.
NXTSTP Partners: Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), Göteborgs Dans & Teater Festival, steirischer herbst festival (Graz)
www.berlinberlin.be