Charivari , 2019

mixed media installation, sound

Charivari is a multimedia installation, exploring Caucasus’ contemporaneity through the prism of the circus. It combines large-scale sculpture, immersive sound, dysfunctional yet exuberant and symbolic costumes and fantastical storytelling. Exploring the history of USSR circus tradition in general, and the Baku State Сircus in particular, the installation evokes both a carcass of an antiquated circus and a suggestion for an imaginary one.

The term charivari refers to a specific circus act – a mass circus performance composed of solo and group multi-genre pieces presented simultaneously. With every act the rhythm gets faster and the technical complexity of the performance increases, until ultimately the arena becomes full of floating and somersaulting figures. Based on archival records, films and photographs, Makhacheva’s installation similarly creates a chaotic make-believe circus. Appearing through a specially commissioned script and narrated by professional actors the viewers are introduced to a myriad of unusual creatures such as a talking horse, synthetic bears, a sheep inside a gymnast inside a lion, a strongwoman accountant and a fly in a silver cape, to name a few. Acting as a witty and often controversial socio-political propositions, these stories from distant pasts and near futures comment on the all too real circus of contemporary life.

Architect: Maria Serova
Text: Alexander Snegirev
Costume design: Panika Derevya
Costume production: Panika Derevya, Anastasia Markova, Alina Sarancha, Scenic Costume Studio ‘M’Art’, Costume Studio ‘Ginger Rose’
Sound design: Denis Dronov
Sound engineer: Maxim Nikolaev, PicMus Production
Voices: Yury Brezhnev, Kristina Chernyavskaya, Anton Kostochkin, Agnia Kuznetsova, Gladston Makhib, Daria Mazur, Polina Milushkova, Ekaterina Shibayeva, Lubov Tolkalina
Production: Sanan Baghirov, Kristina Chernyavskaya, Sadagat Isayeva
Installation production: Novruz Mammadov
Dubbing actors: Renara Shamsiyeva, Patrick Sewell
Research: Vusal Ahmedov, Ulvia Akhundova, Farah Alakbarli, Sanan Baghirov, Kristina Chernyavskaya, Sayara Huseyinli, Asya Sokolova, Arina Umanskaya
Translation: Ben McGarr

Special thanks to director of the Baku National Circus Vagif Baghir-Zada, circus historian Radjab Mamedov, director of the National Archives of the Republic of Azerbaijan Asger Rasulov, director of the National Archives of Photo and Video Documents of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vugar Taptygly, gymnast Tamila Nazirova, clown Lada Sanatskaya, animal trainers Tofik Akhundov and Rauf Rasulov, director of circus shows and concerts Vladimir Vavilov, archivist Aida Babazade, poet Leyli Salayeva

Commissioned by YARAT Contemporary Art Space Courtesy of the artist

вариант 1
Sound ENG: https://vimeo.com/693158298/733eb367de
Sound RUS: https://vimeo.com/357047054/1f79602133
Sound AR: https://vimeo.com/893645153/ecb3739dd5?share=copy

Photo: Pat Verbruggen

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