Alchemy of History

About this event

“Alchemy of History” is a site-specific performance ritual that engages with rivers as living entities and bearers of memory. Led by Diana De Fex – an artist whose work explores corporeal cosmologies and landscapes of remembrance – the performers Maria Tsitroudi, kemelo nozipho sehlapelo, and De Fex herself build a layered sound and movement environment. The piece weaves poetic text with ritual action, drawing the audience into a shared state of listening. A recurring motif is the figure of the pajé, an Indigenous healer whose knowledge of water, forest, and ancestry imprints itself on the bodies of those present. The narrative drifts backwards and forwards in time, dissolving the boundaries between the Andes, the Greek Agrafa mountains, and Isandlwana in South Africa, as personal origin stories merge with a collective imagination. A pre-show workshop introduces the themes and creates an accessible entry point – no prior knowledge of dance or contemporary performance is needed, just an openness to a quiet, focused atmosphere. The performance takes place in a former funeral hall at the Westhausen cemetery, a secluded, contemplative setting that amplifies the meditative quality of the work. Anyone drawn to experimental, cross-disciplinary formats that sit between performance, sound art, and social practice will find an evening that aims less for entertainment than for a shared, almost spiritual experience.