A solo figure stands at the edge of the proscenium stage, silently shifting from one pose to the next. Iconic and mundane images emerge, forming a dramaturgy that explores the nuanced embodiment of sustaining a place, a pose, a representation.
Maria Hassabi merges strength and vulnerability in her performance, exposing what it means to be on stage—to be uncovered. She frames her signature style of stillness, slowness, and aesthetic precision, inviting the audience to awaken their own references to a parade of images as they unfold.
What happens when the process of an image is revealed? In a contemporary culture oversaturated with visuals, does an image lose its impact when stripped of the immediacy we expect?
Hassabi has presented her work in some of the world's leading museums and exhibition spaces. On Stage is undoubtedly one of her most radical and personal works, offering both a feminist reflection and a piercing insight into her artistic trajectory.
CREDITS
Performed by
Maria Hassabi
Sound Design
Stavros Gasparatos
Maria Hassabi
Lighting Design
Aliki Danezi Knutsen
Clothing
Victoria Bartlett
Maria Hassabi
Assistance
Elena Antoniou
Maribeth Nartatez
Dramaturgy & Production
Ash Bulayev
A production
Maria Hassabi
in collaboration with Something Great
Co-produced by
Tanzquartier Wien
Kunstenfestivaldesarts
Julidans
Festival d'Automne à Paris
Taipei Arts Festival / TPAC
Distribution
Something Great
PRESS
"When Hassabi holds her hands before her body, time appears to flow through her hands. (...) Always on the edge, right before eruption. She proves that even in a time where innovative ideas are scarce, it's possible to pioneer new horizons in the field of dance."
- Helmut Ploebst, Der Standard.