INSTALLATION: SIESTA

(SYRIA/GERMANY)

From dreams to nightmares and vice versa

How do we experience our dreams when we’ve been displaced or are in transit? When we’re in prison, in exile, in no-man’s-land, or a tent? Maybe even a camp of tents, a city of fabric?

During the war in Syria cities have been and are being destroyed. Its inhabitants flee and build themselves new cities from fabric, hoping that they are only temporary. Yet after six years, these fabric cities are still their home and symbolize their hopes, wishes and dreams. Syrian choreographer Mey Seifan has been collecting these dreams in an “archive of dreams”.

The interdisciplinary performance installation Siesta by Seifan continues her research: performer and visitor build a dream camp together and set up an immersive trail through the camp, where lights, fragrances, images and sounds create a dreamlike atmosphere and logic. Taking a journey into the collective subconscious mind of dreaming Syrians, the visitor himself starts to dream.

Filmed & Edited by Florencia Morán
Concept and Directed by Mey Seifan
Dramaturgy: Ziad Adwan
Set design: Theresa Scheitzenhammer
Music: David Hermann
Scientific advisors: Victor Spoormaker, Mert Akbal
Light: Rainer Ludwig
Performers: Hiba Al Ansari. Shadi Ali. Anna Banout. Martine-Nicole Rojina. Chriska Wagner.

With the support of Kulturreferat der Landeshauptstadt München.