“Konstrukt” speaks about failure and dealing with wrong choices, through deconstruction of aerial equipment in circus. It is inspired by the experience of doing circus in the context of Croatian opportunities, or more accurately, difficulties. Through three metaphors about failure, using the paradox of collapsing installations, the project speaks about the struggle and disappointment when the image you’re desiring appears to be just a construct of your mind and wrong expectations.
The research started as an analytical reflection on rules of design of aerial circus equipment, looking at the construction specifics from an architect’s point of view. Developing basic and subtle interventions in the structures of aerial fabric, rope and a trapeze, the equipment becomes fragile, unsafe, unsuitable for use and essentially pointless.
The characters are madmen, fools who keep trying to perform on it, and invest a lot of effort into a battle that is already lost from the very beginning. Again and again, they choose an activity that brings no result, pointlessly investing energy, failing many times over and sharing this fragility with the audience.
They ultimately face a question — how to deal with failure? Acceptance, giving up, stubbornly defying to the point of exhaustion, or a deus ex machina that rescues us all from this curse by a supernatural force, because no solution grounded in reality is possible. “Konstrukt” is a circusnext nominated project for 2023.
Dora Komenda is an architect and self-taught circus artist from Split, Croatia. In 2015, she achieved a master’s degree in architecture and simultaneously discovered circus, developing in both disciplines ever since. Since 2018, she has worked as an art director in Cirkus Kolektiv, and in 2021 she founded the architectural office Kolektiv tri.
The performance of “Konstrukt” in Split is realized with the financial support of the Kultura nova Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and the media of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Split.
Entrance is free of charge but the reservation is mandatory!
The workshop is intended for critics, journalists, editors and performance theorists, regardless of their media experience or knowledge of contemporary circus art, from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Applications are open until 23:59 p.m. Sunday, April 2 2023.
You can purchase tickets at the WEBshop and one hour before the start of each performance at the venue (circus tent, Dom mladih, Kopilica). The festival pass is valid for all days of the festival and includes eight performances with tickets (Duel, Juggling Concert, My Death and Me, Piti Peta Hofen Show, Restlesslegs, Runa, The Thin Line and #Manifesto), nine performances with free entrances (entry priority) and a festival bag. If you would like and can afford to support the organization of the Festival and the structures behind it, you can purchase a bit more expensive festival pass and help the future development of contemporary circus and outdoor arts in our city and region.
“Konstrukt” speaks about failure and dealing with wrong choices, through deconstruction of aerial equipment in circus. It is inspired by the experience of doing circus in the context of Croatian opportunities, or more accurately, difficulties. Through three metaphors about failure, using the paradox of collapsing installations, the project speaks about the struggle and disappointment when the image you’re desiring appears to be just a construct of your mind and wrong expectations.
The research started as an analytical reflection on rules of design of aerial circus equipment, looking at the construction specifics from an architect’s point of view. Developing basic and subtle interventions in the structures of aerial fabric, rope and a trapeze, the equipment becomes fragile, unsafe, unsuitable for use and essentially pointless.
The characters are madmen, fools who keep trying to perform on it, and invest a lot of effort into a battle that is already lost from the very beginning. Again and again, they choose an activity that brings no result, pointlessly investing energy, failing many times over and sharing this fragility with the audience.
They ultimately face a question — how to deal with failure? Acceptance, giving up, stubbornly defying to the point of exhaustion, or a deus ex machina that rescues us all from this curse by a supernatural force, because no solution grounded in reality is possible. “Konstrukt” is a circusnext nominated project for 2023.
Dora Komenda is an architect and self-taught circus artist from Split, Croatia. In 2015, she achieved a master’s degree in architecture and simultaneously discovered circus, developing in both disciplines ever since. Since 2018, she has worked as an art director in Cirkus Kolektiv, and in 2021 she founded the architectural office Kolektiv tri.
The performance of “Konstrukt” in Split is realized with the financial support of the Kultura nova Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and the media of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Split.
Entrance is free of charge but the reservation is mandatory!
Contemporary circus collective ROOM 100
(Association for culture and sport Positive force)
Biskupa Jurja Dobrile 6, 21000 SPLIT
OIB 72990924436
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