The Spectator's Theatre

Return to media overview
Media: TheSpectatorsTheatre_1

©Ksenia Peretrukhina

Total Theatre, 2018, plywood, metal

The tribune invites a viewer to climb it, take a seat, and observe the life of the city – its architecture, weather, people. It invites to feel the flow of life as a process and oneself as an important part of this process. “Total Theater” is a tool for the viewer to independently consturct his / her own city, history, environment, and to appropriate them in his / her mind.

In terms of its functions, this rostrum is similar to its “sister” occupying the Times Square in New York, as well as to many more temporary constructions installed in various landmark places of the world. The area near the People’s Friendship fountain seems to be the best spot in Moscow to host such a construction. It serves as an ultimate representation of the Stalinist architecture, the artistic peak of the certain historical period, which is associated with a whole range of concepts and attitutes, in particular, admiration, rejection, attempted restoration, trauma, human disaster, the last great mythology, national pride, interconnection of art and social issues, and many other extremely important topics longing to be reflected upon by the contemporary thought. In this sense, the platform of the “Total Theater” is a democratic proposal addressed to everyone – to think over important issues of our time and form one’s individual opinion.

About M HKA / Mission Statement

The M HKA is a museum for contemporary art, film and visual culture in its widest sense. It is an open place of encounter for art, artists and the public. The M HKA aspires to play a leading role in Flanders and to extend its international profile by building upon Antwerp's avant-garde tradition. The M HKA bridges the relationship between artistic questions and wider societal issues, between the international and the regional, artists and public, tradition and innovation, reflection and presentation. Central here is the museum's collection with its ongoing acquisitions, as well as related areas of management and research.

About M HKA Ensembles

The M HKA Ensembles represent our first steps towards initiating the public to today's art-related digital landscape. With the help of these new media, our aim is to offer our artworks a better and fuller array of support for their presentation and public understanding.