Zangezi

About

“Zangezi” is a multimedia stage production based on the visionary 1922 poem by Russian Futurist Velimir Khlebnikov. Under the artistic direction of Zurich-based American media artist Chris Salter, and in collaboration with the Immersive Arts Space (ZHdK) and an international team of artists from music, visual art, performance, technology, and artificial intelligence, an immersive performance takes shape. The production fuses spatial sound, lighting, music, graphics, and real-time AI-driven scenography generated with a game engine with live, physical performance. A large-format LED wall functions as a central visual and lighting element. Digital landscapes, characters, and soundworlds are generated live and interact with the performers on stage. “Zangezi” addresses pressing questions of the present: the relationship between humans and nature, the role of language, and war and conflict as drivers of historical change. Following its Weimar premiere, an international tour is in preparation.