Datum der Aufzeichnung: 21.04.2010

Ort: Museum Leopold + TQW / Halle G

Im Rahmen von: SCORES#1: touché

In at arm’s length Philipp Gehmacher and Vladimir Miller interweave the themes of affection and control, independence and dependence in a large-scale video installation. In a room constructed for the camera, five people are choreographed who need and take one another in the experience of mutual cooperation in order to get from one side of the room to the other. In his stage work Philipp Gehmacher has repeatedly concerned himself with the interpersonal space and the distance between two or more bodies. How can my arm reach out to the other and a possible contact with the other body take place? How much distance from each other must two bodies maintain in order not to permit the friendly proximity to become personal? The performers move to the edge of the picture, as if the stage ended there, and mark the future absence of the space in the portrayal. Their gestures show the picture as a transparent boundary of contact. They are aware of their diagrammatic placing in the room-picture, in which two reference structures of the bodies overlap and complete one another, and through the camera-eye reach into the future of their perception into the presence of the spectators. 

In the break with the format, at arm’s length is a further study in the cooperation between  Philipp Gehmacher and Vladimir Miller to make the incomprehensibility of the image physically experienceable for the spectator.

Concept, video and installation: Philipp Gehmacher, Vladimir Miller

choreography: Philipp Gehmacher

performers: Philipp Gehmacher, Yannick Guédon, An Kaler, Sabile Rasiti, Venke Sortland

camera and lighting: Leena Koppe

camera assistance: Judith Benedikt

electrics: Günther Bernhard

production management: Petra Herglotz, Katharina Hager von Strobele

assistance: Martina Knoll

construction: Gonzalez Haase / AAS projection: 4youreye

Production: Philipp Gehmacher / Mumbling Fish

co-production: Tanzquartier Wien.

Philipp Gehmacher / Mumbling Fish is supported by the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna. In cooperation with the Leopold Museum.