Frames

Presentation

In his renowned essay Parergon, philosopher Jacques Derrida poses an intriguing question: “Suppose a burglar were to steal only the frames of the artworks in your
home, and not the artworks themselves. What would change in your dealings with art?”

In his new production Frames, Alexander Vantournhout flips this thought-experiment
on its head: what if the burglar takes the painting but leaves the frame? What meaning does the frame hold then, and what potential does it reveal? Is the frame a ‘parergon’ – a secondary, ancillary element - or a structural element of the artwork itself?

Frames delves into the often-overlooked element of theatre that is essential to its very existence: the frame that shapes the spectator’s gaze. This production invites the audience, outside the walls of a traditional theatre, on a journey through 3 to 4 pavilions, each representing a distinct ‘frame’. These intentional viewing portals are strategically positioned in public space, transitioning from circular to frontal and bifrontal audience setups.

The choreography unfolds within these viewing frames, adapting to different audience configurations. In one pavilion, spectators peer through a window to watch a dancer perform, using the window frame as an instrument. In another, the audience adopts a frog’s-eye view, seated beneath a ‘skyroom’, where the dance takes place above them with the sky as a backdrop. In a third pavilion, two dancers share a single pedestal, transforming it into a mini-stage.

By situating the performance outside traditional theatre walls, it broadens the audience's perspective on both the show and its environment. Ordinary elements become remarkable when framed and focused upon. Frames draws attention to the often-overlooked aspects: a specific location, the force of gravity, the collaboration and negotiation between bodies.
This expansion of vision is counterbalanced by a directive approach to focusing the audience's gaze on what transpires within the frame.

Artistic Team

Alexander Vantournhout (Belgium): choreographer/performer. Alexander Vantournhout is the artistic leader of Not Standing and the choreographer of all pieces of the company. Emmi Väisänen (Finland), Axel Guérin (Belgium), Chia-Hing Chung (Taiwan): cocreators/performers. All three dancers have been working with Not Standing since several years and have a broad scale of technical skills and knowledge of the demanding technical movement material of Alexander’s choreographies. Esse Vanderbruggen (Belgium), Charlotte Cétaire (France) and Petra Steindl (Austria): research collaborators and outside eyes. All three have already worked with Not Standing on several projects as dancers so they know the work of Alexander from within and can thus supply valuable feedback during creation. Patty Eggericks (Belgium): costume designer. Patty has worked with several companies and already two times with Not Standing and has a very creative eye on costume making without losing track of functionality, which is imperative in the work of Not Standing, especially in this creation where the performers will take on the craziest poses. Sébastien Hendricks (Belgium) and Rudi Laermans (Belgium): dramaturges. Both have been working with Alexander on several projects and these collaborations have always shown immensely fruitful, adding extra meaning and intellectual depth to the shows. Stanislav Dobak (Slovakia): filmmaker. Stanislav has not only filmed many of the shows of Not Standing but also created a beautiful dance film Snakearms of one of the shows of Not Standing during Covid. Ivan Roussel (France): soundscape creator. Ivan Roussel has been working with Phia Ménard for years and Alexander is always highly inspired by his work for Phia, so he seems to be the right person for this piece. Willy Cauwelier (Belgium): constructor. Willy has been working with Alexander since many years and is Not Standing’s genius when it comes to turning crazy ideas into reality.

Co-producing Partners