SAAL Biennaal 2021: Maija Hirvanen, Juha Valkeapää “Life as we know it”

The starting point for the performance “Life as we know it” has been in imagining directions to which life could go or where it would be desired to go. The imagined directions of life have turned into a performance through exaggeration and dreaming; “Life as we know it” is a kind of adults play of imagining.

Choreographed bodily acts, words and sound are driving the life-wondering world of the performance. “Life as we know it” is a speculative stage performance: it imagines the future whilst simultaneously performing it.

To imagine is to create and to use one’s imagination, but imagination is also an area through which we can influence change.

Maija Hirvanen is a choreographer and performance maker. Her work has been presented e.g. in Tanz im August/HAU, ImpulsTanz, Sadler’s Wells/Lilian Baylis Studio, SPRING Festival, Seoul Performing Arts Festival, Dansens Hus/Stockholm, Zodiak, Kiasma, Baltic Circle, Helsinki Festival and Moving in November. www.hirvanen.net

Juha Valkeapää is a vocal artist and performance maker. He works both solo and with many different artists. His performances and installations have been presented e.g. at Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Spielart, Theaterformen, Baltic Circle, Baltoscandal and Homo Novus. www.juhavalkeapaa.net

Text, performance and the overall responsibility of the work: Maija Hirvanen, Juha Valkeapää
Physical and performance dramaturgy: Maija Hirvanen, in discussion with the group
Lighting and space design: Jenni Pystynen
Sound design: Ville Kabrell
Artistic discussion partner: Barbara van Lindt
Dramaturgical discussion partner: Aune Kallinen
Photos: Aki-Pekka Sinikoski, Kari Sunnari
Co-production: TTT Theatre, Baltic Circle Festival & Espoo City Theatre, Maija Hirvanen, Juha Valkeapään Ääni Residencies Santarcangelo Festival, Homo Novus Festival, De Platoo, Teater Viirus, TTT Theatre
Supported by: Kone Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Theatre Information Centre Finland’s (TINFO) international program MOTI
Funded by: Finnish Cultural Foundation
Premiere: 20.11.2020 Baltic Circle Festival, Helsinki / Espoo City Theatre, Louhisali

Duration: 60’
In English

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