Chasing a Ghost

Alexandra Bachzetsis draws from histories of art, music, cinema, popular culture and fashion, and projects them onto the body. Through this method of citation, Bachzetsis considers how our bodies are used and can be activated in today’s increasingly polarizing discussions around identity and body politics.

In her newly commissioned work Chasing a Ghost, which premieres at the Art Institute of Chicago, Bachzetsis continuously creates a double—a double body, a double sound, a double space, a double image. Challenging the choreographic archetype of the duet, Chasing a Ghost stages these doubles within a spectrum of violence and desire. Central to this duality, a double in of itself, is the notion of the uncanny: an estranging phenomenon in a seemingly ordinary context, but also the potential act of transgression as our repressed impulses and subconsciousness may at any time rupture into our experience of reality.

Chasing a Ghost encompasses a choreography for five dancers (including the artist herself), an original music score played live by two pianists, and a stage setting that shifts between live movement and moving image. These elements are in constant relationship to each other, but the connections between them are intentionally disturbed. As such, Bachzetsis transforms the duet into an unsettling image, the movement between two bodies a distressing and unexpected occurrence, a perpetual folie-à-deux that challenges how we look at ourselves and others.

Credits

Concept and Choreography Alexandra Bachzetsis // Collaboration Concept and Stage Sotiris Vasiliou // Creation and Performance Alexandra Bachzetsis, Johanna Willig-Rosenstein, Owen Ridley-DeMonick, Gabriel Schenker, Sotiris Vasiliou // Music Arrangement and Performance Simon Bucher and Mischa Cheung // Sound Concept Lies Vanborm // Commissioning Curator Hendrik Folkerts // Dramaturgy Dorota Sajewska // Costume Design / Fashion Design Léa Dickely and Hung La / Kwaidan Editions // Costume Design / Conceptual Advice and Research Christian Hersche // Costume Design / Styling Priska Morger and Eva Buehler // Communication Design Julia Born // Photography Mathilde Agius // First Photography Assistant Andreas Warren Matti // Second Photography Assistant Fabienne Watzke // Hair and Makeup Shooting Stephanie Kunz // Technical Direction/Light Design Patrik Rimann // Sound Engineering Jonas Häni // Technical Support Tour Matyas Bokor // Management Anna Geering // Production Association All Exclusive, Anna Geering, Daphni Antoniou  // Tour Management Daphni Antoniou

Commissioned by he Art Institute of Chicago // Supported by The cooperative support agreement between the City of Zurich, the Canton of Zurich, and Pro Helvetia—Swiss Arts Council, Ernst und Olga Gubler-Hablützel Stiftung, Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation, Migros-Kulturprozent, Sophie und Karl Binding Stiftung // Co-produced by Art Gallery of Ontario; Mudam Luxembourg; PACT Zollverein, Essen; Tanzquartier Wien; Bundeskunsthalle Bonn; Julidans, Amsterdam; Gessnerallee Zürich. This performance is a co-production in the frame of the Programmers’ Fund of Reso—Dance Network Switzerland, supported by Pro Helvetia—Swiss Arts Council

In-Kind Sponsorship Yamaha Pianos, provided by Yamaha Artist Services, New York; Kwaidan Editions, London

Additional thanks to Cynthia Leung, Edward Traskowski, Paul B. Preciado, Adam Szymczyk, Verena Bachzetsis, Jannis Tsingaris, André Desponds, Aphroditi Antoniou, Raphael Hefti, and Li Tavor