the congress

A World Wide Distribution of the PAST


In 1936, the English Artist Eric Gill, delivered a speech in front of a congress of Christian Pacifists. In conveying the tie between religion, art, politics, money-making and war, Gill accused also the artists in the complicity of the measures of industrial war.

In this distinct and fresh speech, Gill sets on a mission to reveal the bond that the arts maintain with tactics of Isolation, which according to him lead us to:

"a world of which the very essence is war."


R'm Aharoni brings the speech as a theatrical format in a documentary style.

He attempts to create a space for audience members to bask in the unique opportunity of continuing a discourse that had started on Armistice Day 1936.

And Who Wants Peace? (60’)

 

Text

Eric Gill, R'm Aharoni

 

Performance and Concept

R’m Aharoni 

 

In conversation with

Sarah Vanhee, Frederik Le Roy

 

Special thanks to

CAMPO Gent, Marika Engles, Alain Platel,

Abigail Liparoto, Hugo DeBlock

 

Images

Eric Gill, R’m Aharoni

 

Photography 

Jolien Fagard

De Zendelingen, journalistic collective created 3 video conversations between

R'm Aharoni and 3 guessts:


Dramaturge

Belgian Parliamnt member

Theater's Artistic Director


They discuss 3 Questions that arise from And Who Wants Peace?



1. Is Peace a Political Strategy Just Like War?







KVS dramaturge Kristin Rogghe



2. Must Art Be Political?







Belgian Parliamnt member, Wouter De Vriendt



3. What is the Role of Artists Today?







Monty's Director, Denis Van Laeken



I WILL NOT SPEAK AS AN ARTIST,

BECAUSE I AM ASHAMED TO BE CALLED ONE



I WILL NOT SPEAK AS AN ARTIST BECAUSE I REPUDIATE THE TITLE


Trajectory and Evolution



11/11/1936  Kingsway Hall, London UK.

Armistice day. Speech addressed by Eric Gill to the Christian Pascifist, community.


23/12/2014  CAMPO, Gent BE.

A small gathering: a reciting of Gill’s original speech by R'm Aharoni.


18/01/2015  Alfred Institute, Tel-Aviv IL.

A research group on Gill's speech: A Hebrew translation of the speech addressed by R'm Aharoni.


05/03/2015  CAMPO Gent, BE.

A small gathering: A re-contextualised version of Gill’s speech addressed by R'm Aharoni.


07/03/2015  Jewish Museum Brussels, BE.

A re-contextualised version of the speech, addressed  in the context of Museum Night.


23/04/2015  Aleppo, Brussels BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharoni to a diverse public.


02/05/2015  CBK Bijlmer, Amsterdam NL.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharon to a diverse public.


10/05/2015  KASK, Gent BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharoni.


11-13/05/2015  KASK, Gent BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R’m Aharoni to diverse public.


04/06/2015  KASK, Gent BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharon to visiting commission at the drama department.


25/06/2015  CAMPO Gent, BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharoni to a diverse public.


April- Oct’/2015  Bijlmer – Amsterdam, NL.

Residency. Implementing Gill’s speech in the Bijlmer – Amsterdam, an area inhabited mainly by Surinamese and other migrant groups. (see also Eric Gill meets the Bijlmer publication)


29/7 - 1/8/2016 Theater Aan Zee, festival. Ostend, BE.

Original version of Gill’s speech, addressed by R'm Aharoni to a diverse public.