A Sunday afternoon and evening at Impakt HQ action packed with a reading, films, music and a Brazilian BBQ: on 20 May, we have a scrutinizing look at Brazilian myths in a programme compiled by artist Joris Lindhout and curator Maaike Gouwenberg who investigated the influence of Gothic Literature in Brazil. In the run-up to the Impakt Festival 2012 around the theme ‘No More Westerns’, this event demonstrates how stories from the past lie at the basis of a national identity and cultural cannibalism in contemporary Brazil.
Start 16:00 p.m., tickets € 7.50

What are the origins of Brazil’s contradictory image of exotic rituals and primitive violence? In Cannibalizing Cannibal Myth, Joris Lindhout and Maaike Gouwenberg introduce us to this complicated matter through film fragments, visual material and two films.

Focal point of this programme is the manner in which the myths created by Brazil’s first colonists, have found their way into these modern times. One example relates to the 16th century story of German Hans Staden who escaped a cannibal tribe and wrote in his diary how Tupi Indians ate their enemies to gain possession of their powers. His book later served as the blueprint for obscure cult cinema classics such as Cannibal Holocaust.

In the 20th century, Brazilian authors such as Mario de Andrade managed to use the myths created by outsiders in a strategic manner, in a quest for national identity. In Andrade’s book Macunaíma, cultural cannibalism or ‘antropofagia’ is a positive metaphor for the melting of cultures. In the footsteps of the man-eating Tupi Indians, the different cultures in Brazil had to digest each other in order to turn Brazil into a stronger nation.

The darker aspects of the nation are depicted in the Brazilian version of Frankenstein: Zé do Caixão. This mythological character, a violent Nietzschean funeral undertaker with a strong aversion against religion, was, among others, featured in the film Mojica by José Mojica Marins that will be screened.

The present Brazilian artists in residence of Impakt Works use the moniker “Leandro Nerefuh and Caetano Eh Macumba” to add music to this event with a Macumba soundtrack featuring unexpected Afro-Brazilian rhythms. In addition, there will be a BBQ fitting to the theme and traditional Brazilian snacks. In conclusion of this event, the iconic rendition of Macunaíma by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade (1969) will be screened.

Joris Lindhout works as an independent artist at self formed Grok Projects and is currently building the ‘Department of Crime, Myth and Monstrosity’. Maaike Gouwenberg works as a curator at W139, De Zaak MG and is director of A.P.E. (art projects era). Read more about their research in São Paulo on their blog Gótico Brasileiro.

Please send us an e-mail that you are attending to rsvp[at]impakt[dot]nl

In een historische uiteenzetting komen natuurlijk de mythes voorbij die de eerste kolonialisten in Brazilië creëerden en hoe deze verankerd zijn in onze tijd. Zoals de Duitser Hans Staden, die in de zestiende eeuw een kannibalenstam ontvluchtte en er een boek over schreef dat later de blauwdruk vormde voor obscure cultcinema-klassiekers als ‘Cannibal Holocaust’. Ook wordt bekeken hoe Theodor Roosevelt de piranha tot een beruchte vis maakte, en waarom Brazilië vooral gezien wordt als het land van zon, carnaval en tanga’s.

De manieren waarop Brazilianen de mythes zelf zijn gaan hergebruiken in een zoektocht naar nationale identiteit komen ook aan bod. In het invloedrijke boek ‘Macunaíma’ van Mario de Andrade (1928) dient menseneterij, antropofagia, als positieve metafoor voor het vermengen van culturen. Via de Braziliaanse versie van Frankenstein genaamd ‘Zé do Caixão’, gaat het programma verder terug in de tijd naar de negentiende-eeuwse boeken ‘Iracema’ en ‘O Guarani’ van José de Alencar, en worden de duistere kanten van het carnaval en het dagelijks leven blootgelegd door de ogen van schrijver Nelson Rodrigues. Verder zal een korte film van Werner Herzog over indianen in de Amazone worden vertoond. Na een pauze met Braziliaanse snacks en een toepasselijke BBQ, zullen we de verfilming zien van Macunaíma (1969).

What could be the place of 3D printing, nano, LED and flexible electronics in our everyday life? Scientists present the latest possibilities, designers show inspiring projects, philosophers explore scenarios we’d like to realize or rather avoid. After all that input, we’ll all have a nice dinner and then get to work! In our brainstorm we’ll think up new ideas for these new possibilities.

Those who are truly dedicated to their idea can pitch it on the final day and hopefully win cash (max € 5.000), technical support (worth € 2.500) and participate at  GOGBOT and the Night Of Art And Science.

Each of the four days has its own theme:

Nano (May 2nd, 15:00 – 21:30)
LED and flexible electronics (May 9th , 15:00 – 21:30 ),
3D manufacturing (May 16th , 15:00 – 21:30 ),
Pitches and prizes (May 23rd, time and place t.b.a.).

Sign up for any day(s) you like at: www.ideaswaitingtohappen.com

The American media culture is dominant and has a strong influence on the cultural production in other parts of the world. This is a generally accepted notion and most of our thinking is based on it. For good reasons, under the influence of Hollywood generations on all continents think and communicate in images and archetypes that are created by the American media industry. Also the internet, the platform that by now has become more influential than the film industry, is dominated by companies from the US. We are used to seeing the ‘western’ media industry as the most important domination factor in our visual culture and in the arts and in alternative culture we are focused on counterbalancing its mainstream tendencies.

The Japanese media industry was of little importance 50 years ago and it had no influence outside of Japan. But, following the rise of Japan as an economic power also the Japanese media industry slowly grew and its influence outside Japan grew. In the beginning this only manifested itself on a cult level e.g. Godzilla and Anime but now it has an influence on mainstream culture outside Japan and it is exporting TV formats, Game shows, etc, not only to America and Europe but also to China and Latin America. The cultural influence grew as a consequence of Japan’s development into an economic super power

Rapidly growing super powers like China, India and Brazil claim their positions on the world stage and since the 2008 crisis the news is dominated by reports on the decline of the western economies, the EU is in crisis and the USA fell of its triple grace.

Maybe most of us are already getting used to the idea that Europe’s and America’s economies will play a secondary role in the future but few of us realize the cultural changes our world will undergo as a result of this. The entertainment industries of the new economies will have a strong influence on our media landscape. Where we are used to the dominant position of the western media industry and concerned with offering alternatives to it’s mainstream tendencies, we will soon be confronted with a media landscape that no longer can be called ‘western’ and will bear strong and significant influences from the new economic super powers.

What will this new global media landscape look like ? How will it influence culture in our future world ? What position will art have in this development ? Can art keep providing alternatives and promote pluriformity ? How can it survive in the new economic power balance ?

With NO MORE WESTERNS Impakt Festival 2012 will focus on the new media landscapes in various world cultures under the influence geopolitical developments have on them and the way art can respond to these developments. With bold extrapolations, historical analysis, harmonic ideals, dystopian visions and contributions from correspondents and experts from all over the globe Impakt will offer opinions and analysis that might not always be scientifically accurate but for sure are thought provoking and inspiring.

We are currently looking for strong curatorial proposals for the Festival program. Read more about the Call for Curators here (deadline: June 11).