Codes of Absence

To answer the question of what had to be suppressed and forgotten in order to cross the border, Nico invites close family members and friends, live over the web, to re-enact situations of his personal journey. Codes of Absence brings Cistifellea member Nico Yurgaki on stage and takes us with him on a personal vigil. The performance takes its point of departure from Nico´s experience of migrating into the EU. To answer the question of what had to be suppressed and forgotten in order to cross the border, he invites close family members and friends, live over the web, to re-enact situations of his personal journey. Their playful interaction transforms the theatre into a site of communal celebration and mourning about gained and lost aspects of Nico´s identity. A journey through music and rhythm as a way to give expression to the deepest emotions. Cistifellea is a multidisciplinary collective based in Dortmund founded by Elena Tilli, set, video designer, and technologist, and Nico Yurgaki writer, musician, and performer. Together they work to develop dramaturgy that inhabits both cutting-edge technology and instrumental compositions, the building of structures, systems, and spaces. Their work develops around personal themes they feel connected with. As migrants, they have been investigating the role played by technology as a frontier. How video technology can speak about absence. They are interested in questioning the implications of making technology a must-be in artistic expression. Idea and creation: Cistifellea Collective Text, sound, and performer: Nico Yurgaki Staging, technology: Elena Tilli Curator/dramaturgy advisor: Kai Tuchmann With: Bertha Quintero, Jose Dario Quintero, Elisa Gomez, Lucia Ibañez Performing guidance: Cornelia Moore Partners in research Vol I: Cesar René Perez, Pablo Vera Rivas Partners in research Vol II: Soledad Figueroa, Cristian Aaros Sound technician: Frederick Aderholz Sound/Video technical support in Bogotá: Juliana Botero Executive producer: Victor Zapata Graphic Design: Maria Taborda Photo: Jonathan Zipfel