XXX_performances group

XXX performance group has been performing since 2007 in various events. Since they have collected a body of 315 separate live-art works shot on video.

In year 2009 the collective has executed 3 shows: in a tavern in Brüssels, Les Halles, Trouble#5 Festival, Brüssels by integrating into a community, they've knitted themselves into the social fabric of the district of Kallio, URB09 Festival, Helsinki and explored the virtual other in Second Life and Prague, Pirkanmaan taidetoimikunta Residency program.

Previous works click here!

The xxx_group came into being at the initiative of Pekka Ruuska and Eero Yli-Vakkuri for the Theatre Gallery project organised at the Gallery Titanik in Turku. The group was soon joined by Paula Lehtonen and Pia Sirén. Since 2009 the group has been an open collective, which allows it to work with the same performance format but in different formations. In Brussels Trouble #5 the group was be made up of Paula Lehtonen, Pekka Ruuska and Eero Yli-Vakkuri, with Arttu Merimaa as a documentarist and Emmi Vainio, editing. In URB09 Inga Mustakallio joined the group and Alexandre Riviello worked as the cameraman. In Prague the group didn't have an external cameraperson, the documentation was done by the group as in the 50 small performances in Titanik 2007.

The group selects a site, investigates it, perform pieces for live audiences, shoot them on video and present these in a multi-channel installation preferably within a days delay after their execution. The screening is the most visible part of the work that pulls it together and makes it easier for the audience to follow, as the live action is often rather chaotic happenings and intense situation between the performers and participants.

As the work ismprovisational and based on taking advatage of the live-situation, many of the performances are not good, but others are brilliant. In the screening, the video material is edited, to make statements and underline significances in situations.

The work is done in non-stop cycles. 12:00:00 for 50 performances, 12:58:36 for 54 and so forth. +14,4 added on each newproject. In the year 2057 the XXX group will host a 24 hour long performance during which they´ll execute 100 separate live-artworks.

It is important to the group for there to be few obstacles to exchanging views, sharing ideas and influencing the course of events together with the community that is following the performance. The audience is thus offered an opportunity to see how a performance is structured and with what techniques a performance or gesture can be made to work. Working in this way, the group illuminates the power structures that guide the ways in which we act in a community. This mission is also reflected in the way in which the group relates to the space in which it is performing. The architectonic solutions arrived at for that space regulate the way in which people behave there. The group’s performances are born of a dialogue with social conventions and space; the group explores power in concrete terms and approaches it from the perspective of performance technique.

The group wants to stay open and transparent on their methods. The planning of the projects is also open to the public and can be followed in Keosto.

54 Performances, URB09 festival and Alkovi Gallery, Kallio, Helsinki, Finland

xxx_group | brief show-reel of the "54" performed in URB09

Performances progressed on Kallio's terms: XXX_ group searched for sites and venues in the Kallio district that held meaning for its inhabitants. Inspired by these places, the group created a performance that took the form of a temporary monument befitting its surroundings. Captured on film and edited, performances were then displayed at Alkovi gallery. As the group was moving around during performances, they were using a gps-transmitter to send coordinates of their current location to a monitor at the Alkovi gallery.

 

26/27 Performances at the CaféL´evasion,Les Halles, Trouble#5 Festival for Live art, Brüssels, Belgium

xxx-performances group

Pekka getting ready for a performance

xxx performances group

screening at the Cafe L´evasion

A tavern with a backroom, run by Albanian community worked as the performance venue. The execution was done in 2 days, creating 26 performances on saturday and 27 in sunday. A screening was held on sunday evening at the location, 2 h after the performances, where the people taking part could see themselves in video. In this project, the role of the community became very meaningful as the customers in the bar got exited and took over the performances. XXX_group worked in creating situations for things to happen. Many of the performances got their inspiration from the usual behaviour in bar and surrounding city centre. For example, the performers ended up dancing and playing football in the backroom, making coffee for the customers and hitchiking for a sightseeing tour. The backrooom was made visible for the bar by installing a camera and connecting it to the bar's tv.