Speaker Series - Janez Janša

NAME READYMADE
Name Readymade is a project presentation dealing with a wide range of issues related to the “name changing” gesture perpetrated by three Slovenian artists who, in 2007, legally, and with all the papers and stamps required, changed their names and assumed the name of the Slovenian Prime Minister at the time, Janez Janša. Ever since, all their works, their private and public affairs – in a word, their whole life – have been conducted under this new name. It is a parcours through different stages and aspects of the act of name changing and its consequences, including public, relational and intimate
ones.

NAME Readymade lecture performance has been produced by Maska and Aksioma, Ljubljana, Slovenia

More at www.maska.si

BIO:

Janez Janša has studied sociology and theatre directing at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and performance theory at the University of Antwerp, Belgium.

He is author and director of interdisciplinary performances. His piece CAMILLO - MEMO 1.0: THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEATRE has been directed by himself at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan, Italy (May 1998). DRIVE IN CAMILLO has openned Manifesta 3, European biennale of contemporary arts (2000). His latest pieces are WE ARE ALL MARLENE DIETRICH FOR – Performance for soldiers in peace-keeping missions (together with Erna Omarsdottir) and reconstruction of the piece from 1969 – PUPILIJA, PAPA PUPILO AND THE PUPILCEKS. Recently, he performed in the improvisation project At the Table curated by Meg Stuart

Janša’s work includes also visual, multimedia and performance art works. Among others are THE CABINET OF MEMORIES, a tear donnor session and interdisciplinary artistic and research project THE FIRST WORLD CAMP (with Peter Šenk). His interactive performance MISS MOBILE, has been performed by himself. He regularly curates interdisciplinary workshops around Europe and USA and he is the initiator of the organization P.E.A.C.E. - Peacekeepers' entertainment, art and cultural exchange (with Mare Bulc).

He has published numerous essays on contemporary theatre and art including the book on Flemish artist and theatre maker Jan Fabre (JAN FABRE - La Discipline du chaos, le chaos de la discipline, Armand Colin, Paris 1994; published in Dutch, Italian and Slovene as well). He has been editor in chief of the performing arts journal MASKA (1999-2006). He has edited a reader of contemporary theatre theories (PRESENCE, REPRESENTATION, THEATRICALITY, Maska, Ljubljana 1996), a reader of contemporary dance theories (THEORIES OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE, Maska, Ljubljana, 2001) and several other titles.

Since 1999 he is the director of Maska, non-profit organization in publishing, production and education, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia.