Matters of Rhythm
Visual Sign (Language) Choreography and Performance

What is visual sound? In Matters of Rhythm, Rita Mazza explores the composition of visual sound. Together with Hanna Kritten Tangsoo and inspired by the rhythms of sign language, Mazza delves into the relationship between body and light. Focusing on the dichotomies of nature and capitalism as well as circular and linear rhythms, they will develop movement and light choreographies that create music for the eyes.

Music is moving in waves. It travels through space and time. Light also travels in waves and needs a body to reflect. Light and bodies moving together through space and time are constantly creating a choreography of visual frequencies. In Matters of Rhythm, Rita Mazza explores this composition of visual sound driven by the rhythms of sign language. Together with light artist Hanna Kritten Tangsoo, Mazza develops movement and lighting choreographies that focus on the relationship between the body of the performer and the light as the source of movement. Inspired by Henri Lefebvre’s essay collection Rhythmanalysis and the work of visual artist Christine Sun Kim, Mazza and Kritten Tangsoo question how the dichotomies between nature and capitalism, between circular and linear rhythms, shape our movements. They explore how light and movement come together, communicate, interact, build a relationship and, in doing so, produce music for the eyes. Thus, every sound is a movement. And movements – organized in different shapes, patterns and tempi – form music.

Rita Mazza (rita/they/she) is a freelance artist working as a performance artist, artistic director and a sign language choreographer in visual sign performances. Rita currently collaborates with Theaterformen Festival as guest curator focused on Sign Language Art and Deaf Arts. Rita is a native signer – they ‘speak’ in Italian Sign Language, and they are fluent as well in German (DGS) and International Sign.

[Source: PR-Info]

TFB Nr. 1760