Work Body

Body, labour, capital – who and what is sacrificed when our value is determined by our usefulness? 
A multi-layered, tender, and loud response, and a call to disrupt the logic of capitalism.

“Work Body” displays a working body – building, singing, speaking and dancing. Prize-winning Viennese choreographer and theoretician Michael Turinsky breaches the logic of capitalistic production: for a moment the separation between mental and manual labour is suspended, the normative pressure to perform replaced by the rhythm of his ‘disabled’ body, on stage invisible work is made visible. The piece is inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini’s poem “Le ceneri de Gramsci” (The Ashes of Gramsci) written in 1954. Pasolini considers the mortal remains of physically disabled Communist thinker, Antonio Gramsci in a sensual and intellectual homage. Turinsky creates resonances between the ‘disabled’ and the ‘working’ body, bringing marginalised corporeality to the fore. Through engagement with Pasolini's text, a work emerges that demolishes the boundaries between choreographic intervention, concert and political agitation and asks pressing questions about our own working bodies and our allotted time span. Simultaneously, Turinsky responds to the increasing success of right-wing politics in working-class milieus and the underlying fantasies of masculinity. A multi-layered and memorable evening of performance and an important contribution to the current social debate on time and work in capitalism.

Duration: 85 minutem 

Language: English, with German and English surtitles

Concept, Choreography, Text, Performance: Michael Turinsky
Music, Lyrics, Performance: Tian Rotteveel
Set & Costume Design: Jenny Schleif
Lighting Design: Max Rux
Dramaturgical Advice: Chris Standfest
Artistic Collaboration: Liv Schellander
Production: Anna Gräsel

A production by Michael Turinsky and the Verein für philosophische Praxis, in co-production with Tanzquartier Wien and Theater RAMPE (Stuttgart). Supported by Cultural Department of the city of Vienna and the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport (Austria).