Magdalena Inc.+ was founded in 1998 by a group of visionary artists who shared a passion for pushing boundaries and transcending the conventional norms of performance art. Their aim was to create immersive experiences that challenge perceptions and ignite the imaginations of their audience.
Its members were:
Walli Höfinger – voice, image, movement
Christiane Hommelsheim – voice, image, movement
Ruth Hommelsheim – image, movement
Christopher Dell – sound, movement
Existing from 1998 until 2003, Magdalena Inc.+ invested in working and researching on the performativity of improvisation techniques in relational spatial settings. Informed by different conceptual and disciplinary backgrounds, the group explored the entire range of associations rather than limit itself with dogmatic definitions of art – thus the symbolic has its place in their performances alongside bodily oriented material.
During its existence, Magdalena Inc+ has delivered numerous stunning performances that have left an indelible mark on viewers. Through a combination of immersive visual projections, innovative performative movements, and experimental soundscapes, Magdalena Inc+ transported the audience into a realm of performative criticality.
What set Magdalena Inc+ apart was their ability to seamlessly blend various art forms into their performances. They fused dance, theater, visual art, music, and technology to create a multi-sensory experience that left spectators spellbound. Each performance was meticulously crafted, with attention given to every detail – from set design to choreography.
The experience of experimenting with improvisation and notation on a general level and using extended media was especially represented in the work with Magdalena Inc.+. Starting as the duo of visual artist Ruth Hommelsheim and composer and sound artist Christopher Dell and guests, the group was reformed as a quartet in 1998 with the joining of performance artisst Wally Höfinger and Christiane Hommelsheim. The interdisciplinary collective explored an entire range of methodologies. In the course of intense research rehearsals Magdalena Inc.+ investigated in performance art as a work that is defined through durational structures. By this is meant that in addition to their specific embodiment exercises the group also experimented with scores and spatial settings. These scores and settings were interpreted as mediatic inscription to be activated and instrumentalized in regard to a wide range of action, materials, and procedures. This pioneering work rerouted the groups understanding of time and action and transforming measures of time, for instance from conventional metric counting to one based on spatial, two-dimensional drawing on one hand and the more-dimensional spatial settings created as installations on the other hand. At the time, the research of Magdalena Inc.+ was based in Reichenow, a small village near Berlin.
Although the group existed only over a time span of four years, Magdalena Inc+ has left an indelible work, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of performance art. Their innovative use of technology and their ability to create immersive experiences still inspire today.
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Performances:
2001 Am Rande der Zeit
Saarlandmuseum, Saarbrücken
Gut Reichenow, großer Saal
2002 Slow Space
Orangerie Theater, Köln
Gut Reichenow, großer Saal
2003 Der Dritte Körper
Saarlandmuseum, Saarbrücken
Gut Reichenow, großer Saal