Lethe

2023

A Space Poem with Lisa Densem, Judith Hamann, Laura Siegmund

I think of those to whom I would like to say, the earth is beautiful, I have seen it with my own eyes and it seems unreal to me.

Lethe | Trailer Tanzforum Berlin

Lethe is a work dedicated to the Tagliamento river, one of the last great untamed waterways in Europe, which is threatened by industry and global warming. From 2021 to 2023, artist Adam (aka Sandra) Man, musician Judith Hamann, and dancer Laura Siegmund conducted several expeditions to northern Italy. Immersing themselves in the region’s unique riverscape, they each formed an artistic response to the natural surroundings by their respective means – language, movement, and sound.

This work brings together their different approaches to create a space poem of choreographic landscape videos with Laura Siegmund, text spoken live by dancer Lisa Densem, and a sound composition made by Judith Hamann.
The title «Lethe» refers to the underworld river of Greek mythology that marks the boundary between existence and non-existence. Those who drink from it are said to experience a moment of intense remembering before forgetting everything.

Between tenderness and eternity, transience and permanence, being there and being away, dimensions of human and geological existence are stretched out along the Tagliamento.

One feels suspended and exposed at the same time. The unregulated nature of the river is transferred as a mood to one's own feeling: a letting go, a giving up of control, a surrendering to the landscape.

Texts on Lethe

A thought on Lethe with Michiyasu Furutani ︎

Inhabiting the Silence. Sandra Man and Laura Siegmund on Lethe ︎

Maja Smoszna The river of oblivion reminds us. Notes on Lethe by Sandra Man ︎

Event and Trailer

Lethe premiered at Tanzfabrik Berlin in November 2023 ︎

Lethe Trailer on tanzforum ︎

Idea, Text, Video: Adam (aka Sandra) Man
Sound: Judith Hamann
Live Performance: Lisa Densem
Performance in the river: Laura Siegmund
Artistic Collaboration: Moritz Majce
Translation: Anna Galt, Lisa Densem
Stage Design: Adam (aka Sandra) Man
Production Management: Tiphaine Carrère
Technical Direction: Marc Lagies
Construction Video Installation: Jan Hoffmann
Audio Description: Emmilou Roessling in co-operation with Silja Korn

A Production by Adam (aka Sandra) Man. Co-produced by Tanzfabrik Berlin.

Funded by Hauptstadtkulturfonds Berlin and supported by Land Kärnten.