THE SMILE AT THE TOP OF THE LADDER

Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City, MX

On the occasion of XV MIP Muestra Internacional de Performance. Curated by Carlos Jaurena

November 2012

Mut-Azioni, Rome, IT. Curated by Kyrahm & Julius Kaiser

December 2012

 

The Smile at the Top of the Ladder is inspired by Henry Miller's book The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder, the touching fable of Auguste the clown, as well as a tribute to other clown figures of art. Conceived for Ex Teresa Arte Actual's 2012 MIP program El sonido de la ultima carcajada (The sound of the last laughter), the performance works around absurdity towards humour and sound. It sees Stenke sitting on a table suspended from the dome of Ex Teresa, continuously screaming "No No No No," while Pagnes struggles with quotidian absurdism and failures.