With SPAfrica, Julian Hetzel delves into the dark politics of water and examines the complex intertwining of ethics and economics. Using water as conflict material, the performer shows how closely racism is linked to capitalism. The performance, which was created in collaboration with South African performer Ntando Cele and musician Frank Wienk, combines theatre, music and video. This creates a hybrid experience that exposes the relationships between a product and the social struggles in the country where it comes from, between consumption and inequality.
SPAfrica critiques extractivist practices and value creation using water as a model. In response to the incongruity of privately owned freshwater resources, despite the human right to clean drinking water, Hetzel questions the problematic mechanisms of empathy. SPAfrica offers a sustainable luxury product - sub-Saharan drinking water exported into Europe - as a contradictory yet sustainable alternative to the commodification of water by multinationals such as Nestlé, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. SPAfrica is the world's first ‘empathy drink’.
While provocative, Hetzel's projects are poetic, moving and humorous. With a tight visual language he brings complex moral, social and political dilemmas close to the audience. Julian Hetzel studied a decade ago with Ntando Cele at DAS Theatre. After his studies Hetzel settled his studio in Utrecht, Ntando Cele is developing her further projects in Switzerland. Two individuals, who focus their artistic practices on a critical approach towards their own communities: artists who constantly try to push us out of our comfort zone.
SPAfrica, like many earlier productions by Studio Julian Hetzel, is a co-production with SPRING. Since the collaboration with Julian Hetzel started in 2014, several of his significant productions have been presented at SPRING.
Concept - Julian Hetzel and Ntando Cele Direction - Julian Hetzel Performance - Ntando Cele Dramaturgy - Miguel Angel Melgares Artistic advisor - Sodja Lotker, Khanyisile Mbongwa Music & composition - Frank Wienk Light design - Nico de Rooij Technical coordination - Cesco van der Zwaag, Martijn van Nunen Technicians - Bea Verbeek, Simon Kelaita Technical solutions - Merijn Versnel, Guido Bevers Production coordinator - Marieke van den Bosch Production Cape Town - Luca Evans Galerist Cape Town - Mpilo Ngcukana Production assistant - Jana Riese Assistant costume designer - Merel van Erpers Roijaards Mask artist - Carly Heathcote Make-up artist - Julia Markow Prop maker - Saskia Hertog Video Documentation - Reynold Reynolds, Bongeka Ngcobo Photography - Alexandra Masmanidi Special thanks to - the local hosts of the artist talk. Produced by - Studio Julian Hetzel Co-produced by - Schauspiel Leipzig (DE), CAMPO Gent (BE), Theatre Vidy-Lausanne (CH), SPRING Performing Arts Festival Utrecht (NL), Auawirleben Festival, Bern (CH). With the support of - Performing Arts Fund (NL), City of Utrecht (NL), Vriendenloterij Fund (NL), Prins Bernhard Culture Fund (NL), Onassis AiR Athens (GR), 16 on Lerotholi Gallery (ZA).
