Staatstheater Kassel presents Temple of Alternative Histories

June 15–September 24, 2022

Temple of Alternative Histories (TAH) is a transdisciplinary art project that explores the numerous entanglements between environment and culture, as well as modern views of time and substance. What impact do legendary stories have on nature and vice versa? TAH fosters consideration of the critical challenges highlighted by today’s environmental catastrophe by highlighting generative processes. The initiative as a whole tries to redress hierarchical boundaries between creative and scientific disciplines by taking historical movements into consideration. What types of locations and techniques of mediation can help to improve public, artistic, and scientific debates about current events?

What questions should we ask to the oracles of our time?

TAH brings worldwide experts, visual artists, performers, cognitive scientists, care practitioners, and non-human subjects together in Kassel. The processual project will take place at Staatstheater Kassel between June and September 2022, coinciding with documenta fifteen. TAH is inspired by the roots of the theatre as a ceremonial meeting place, a building created around an empty metaphorical space intended to stage and host meaning. It consists of three key components: an arts installation, a public program, and a stage piece. All components of the project aim to investigate the transformative, potentially cathartic, communal possibilities for our time.

Temple of Materialised Histories: Immersive exhibition of kinetic sculpture and sound art echoing present and historical surroundings
Opera Foyer, Staatstheater Kassel
June 15–September 24, 2022
Free admission

Temple of Emerging Histories: Interactive public programme of guided sensory experiences, and interdisciplinary talks on future landscapes
Opera foyer, Staatstheater Kassel
June 15–September 24, 2022
Free admission

Temple of Appropriated Histories: Stage production dissecting cultural influences leading to times of catastrophe and questioning acts of catharsis
Staatstheater Kassel
July 9–24, 2022 
Premiere: July 9, 2022
Tickets

TAH artistic directors: Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson (IS) a theatre director, and author, Anna Rún Tryggvadottir (IS) a visual artist, and Cassandra Edlefsen Lasch (US) a curator, editor, and writer.