»The UnbearAble-Bodiedness, a sisters’ storytelling dance« – Installation and Dance Performance Combating the Discrimination of Individuals with Disabilities to Take Place Outside the Thuringian State Administration Office

On the lawn in front of the Thuringian State Administration Office (TLVwA), eight large, inflatable hands stretch towards the skies. Powered by blowers, the hands attract attention with their wild gesticulations. The artists (Ghida Masri, who has a cochlear implant, is a dancer) move around and between the inflatable hands. In a jointly developed choreography, they explore the relationship between body, mind, senses, communication, being sisters and mutual understanding. Together, they aim to counter misconceptions about people with disabilities, to deconstruct categorisations and to challenge bias and hostility not only from others but also from within.

That the intervention is taking place at Jorge-Semprún-Platz is no coincidence: the square of the former Gauforum is the only one of its kind to have been almost completed during Germany’s National Socialist era. It stands for a system of political power and oppression: simple, monumental symmetry, stark rectangular elements, few decorations and heavy horizontal stone façades were intended to convey a sense of impenetrability and eternal grandeur. The sisters juxtapose the almost unbearable size and rigidity of the space with eight »Crying Hands« (H. Biesold, 1988), which are distributed throughout the square. As the hands sway in the wind, each is unique in form and movement.

The work arises from the artists’ personal experiences. Their parents met in a music shop. Music has since been an important part of their lives. One day, the lively family home descended into silence when younger sister Ghida was struck by an unknown virus and consequently lost her hearing. Thus began a story about the life of a deaf person in a hearing Lebanese family. With their intervention in Weimar, Hala and Ghida Masri look back on their parental home, their relationship as sisters and their time at school and in subsequent institutions; in doing so, they question the discriminatory concept of normativity and what should even be considered a »normal« body.

It is also no coincidence that the art project is taking place in collaboration with the Thuringian State Administration Office. The TLVwA is home to official bodies such as the Integration Office, which plays a crucial role in the social inclusion of people with disabilities and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for them. A fundamental task of the Integration Office is to secure the participation of severely disabled persons in work life. Prevention measures and special protection against dismissal are important instruments in this connection. Within the framework of these procedures, individuals with severe disabilities as well as their employers and the company environment are supported on site by the Integration Office’s counselling services – the Integrationsfachdienst (IFD; specialised integration service), the Einheitliche Ansprechstellen für Arbeitgeber (EAA; single point of contact for employers) and the technischer Beratungsdienst (TBD; technical counselling service). Targeted instructional, training and educational measures make a significant contribution to improving the opportunities of individuals with severe disabilities in the general job market. It is therefore a shared concern of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Thuringian State Administration Office, which jointly endeavour to raise awareness of the topic and promote inclusion.

The installation will be showcased on the lawn from 6 to 16 July 2023. Interested parties are warmly invited to attend the premiere of the dance performance on Thursday, 6 July 2023, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm!

A project by Hala Masri in collaboration with her sister Ghida Masri. The project was developed within the scope of the Master’s degree programme »Public Art and New Artistic Strategies« of the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and is sponsored by the »23:ideas« project fund.

»The UnbearAble-Bodiedness, a sisters’ storytelling dance«
Installation and dance performance 
6 to 16 July 2023

Opening performance: Thursday, 6 July 2023, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Second performance: Saturday, 15 July 2023, 3 pm – 3:30 pm

Venue:
Lawn in front of the Thuringian State Administration Office (former »Gauforum«)
Jorge-Semprún-Platz

Installation opening times during summaery2023 
13 to 16 July 2023
Thursday 2 p.m. – 5 pm
Friday and
Saturday 2 pm – 8 pm
Sunday 2 pm – 6 pm