The Active Audience
Performance at International Performance Art Giswil, Switzerland
© Iris Ganz / International Performance Art Giswil 2016
Hans Christian van Nijkerk takes on the role of a combined conductor and motivational coach, instructing the audience to partake in a dumb reaction game that nevertheless engages and invigorates them. It’s fun to do something together as a group, and enthusiasm numbs our critical judgement and makes us fear standing out. An instructional video suggests how to become the best possible audience: how to behave as crowd members at a Wimbledon tennis match, a rock concert, at a performance event and at an art show opening. This performance is concerned with the problem of groupthink and mob mentality. Sheer (dumb) entertainment and anti-intellectualism are considered values by part of society today. The idea of good-is-not-enough leads to people never being able to be happy with their lives, always blaming themselves for their shortcomings instead of seeing their failure due to structures in society outside of their control.
© Iris Ganz / International Performance Art Giswil 2016
Hans Christian van Nijkerk takes on the role of a combined conductor and motivational coach, instructing the audience to partake in a dumb reaction game that nevertheless engages and invigorates them. It’s fun to do something together as a group, and enthusiasm numbs our critical judgement and makes us fear standing out. An instructional video suggests how to become the best possible audience: how to behave as crowd members at a Wimbledon tennis match, a rock concert, at a performance event and at an art show opening. This performance is concerned with the problem of groupthink and mob mentality. Sheer (dumb) entertainment and anti-intellectualism are considered values by part of society today. The idea of good-is-not-enough leads to people never being able to be happy with their lives, always blaming themselves for their shortcomings instead of seeing their failure due to structures in society outside of their control.
© Eliane Rutishauser / International Performance Art Giswil 2016