Empowering the plant

Remember that time when you were a kid? You would walk next to that huge building known as the power plant, partly being scared to death by the mere look at it and of it, partly wanting to conquer this terrifying beast by getting to know what is inside.

Years later, you have this chance thanks to the efforts of Gallery West that decided to place this year’s edition of Volkspaleis in the Turbine Hall of the E.On Power plant in the centre of The Hague. You have precisely three and a half days to check the space and then the plant will go back to its deep sleep.

The Volkspaleis is a multidisciplinary exhibition placed inside of the enormous industrial hall, covering the area of 2400 square meters, with the ceiling being 35 meters high. The space hosts the world premiere of the glorious, colossal film project The Lost (Die Verlorenen) by the American artist Reynold Reynolds.

The Lost is based on a material filmed in Berlin in the thirties. Turbulent times that followed the rise of Nazi regime put a stop to the production of a film whose segments were found only recently in Siberia. Reynolds got the material, hired 20 experts and spent three years to complete the movie about “Germany’s uncensored cultural history and politics in the interbellum”. The main character is Christopher, young writer living with performers, dancers and musicians in a Berlin hotel contemplating on the subjects of dance, eroticism, history and censorship…

In the Volkspaleis, the impressive project of seven different life-size projections (each lasting well over 20 minutes) are shown for the first time as a whole. Apart from the Lost, Volkspaleis hosts different performances, lectures and discussions.

The closing evening Sunday 6 October, examines the position of visual art in the contemporary society. Also, there will be a performance made by IOM, Interactive Interdisciplinary Improvisational Orchestral Machine (Loos).

From what I understand human improvisors “play” with computers, speakers, beamers, microphones, sensors and cameras. IOM is built by Peter van Bergen (concept, compositions, wind instruments), Luc van Weelden (software programming, sound engineering), Jacques Palinckx (electric guitar) and Gerard Bouwhuis (piano).

Check the evening program for details.

Volkspaleis, E.On Powerplant, De Constant Rebecqueplein 20, 3/10/13 to 6/1-/13, the entrance is €5

Photos Lustlab, Volkspaleis, here and here. More photos here