Performative apparatus for the creation, analysis and dissection of objects of study
“An object, doubled by a speaker to talk about it: built around a supposedly basic apparatus, Constructionisme by the duo Marius Schaffter and Jérôme Stünzi, is an uproarious performance, lining up a whole palette of tics and clichés fresh from the academic conference circuit. (…)
A man in a shirt with rolled-up sleeves and sweat stains under the arms, reveals a work of art. This gives an idea of the shape of things to come in the course of a speech that juggles between descriptive, intuitive and analytical, testing the sociological theory of constructivism along the way. Improvised to a large extent, the subject is given emphasis with learned pauses, studied gestures and other knowing smiles or confidential interactions with the audience who is both intrigued and in stitches.
As was the custom with the public dissections of yesteryear, the speaker (Marius Schaffter) lets the inert object do the talking, in this case, a unique work of art created during a workshop open to the public, all the while dismembering it with a hammer and saw. A normal attitude in the context of an anatomical study, but absolutely unimaginable – and therefore perfectly transgressive and joyous – in the art world, where any blunt object is banished: if one were to touch canvases or installations, it would be with gloves. Bonjour iconoclasm.”
Samuel Schellenberg, journalist, in charge of the culture section of Courrier newspaper, performanceprocess, 2015.
If you want to watch a video of Constructionisme in English, please send us a message: om[at]oldmasters.ch
Tour
2 June 2024 – Usine Sonore, La Neuveville (CH)
6 oct 2023 – Envar, Nyon (CH)
2 mai 2019 – Iran International University Theater Festival, Teheran (IR)
21 feb 2019 – Festival Antigel, Lancy Genève (CH)
15 july 2018 – Festival de la Cité, Lausanne (CH)
7 march 2018 – Pasquart Kunsthaus Centre d’Art, Biel/Bienne (CH)
2 dec 2017 – performanceprocess, Musée Tinguely, Basel (CH)
14 july 2017 – Verbo, Galeria Vermelho, São Paulo (BR)
1er june 2017 – Landesmuseum, Zürich (CH)
20 may 2017 – Indiana, Collectif Rats, Vevey (CH)
7 april 2017 – Musée national d’art, Vilnius (LT)
2 feb 2017 – Landesmuseum, Zürich (CH)
22 sept 2016 – Théâtre du Loup, Genève (CH)
15 july 2016 – Monumenta, TU – Théâtre de l’usine, Genève (CH)
25-26 june 2016 – Un art pauvre, Centre Pompidou, Paris (FR)
11 june 2016 – Plein tube, Arsenic, Lausanne (CH)
13 april 2016 – Le Bourg, Lausanne (CH)
31 march 2016 – ThiK, Baden (CH)
5-6 dec 2015 – Les Urbaines, Mudac, Lausanne (CH)
13 nov 2015 – Heitere Fahne, Berne (CH)
3-4 oct 2015 – Maison Roederer, Lancy (CH)
19 sept 2015 – Extra Ball, performanceprocess, Centre culturel suisse, Paris (FR)
11 sept 2015 – Südpol, Lucerne (CH)
13-14 june 2015 – Baz’art, Genève (CH)
23 may 2015 – Premio (finale), Arsenic, Lausanne (CH)
28 march 2015 – Premio (demi-finale), HKB, Berne (CH)
12 march 2015 – Run to the ruin – la ruine et l’art, Le cabanon, UNIL, Lausanne (CH)
15 sept 2014 – Inauguration de la Faculté des sciences de la société, Unige, Genève (CH)
Press
No Verbo, performances mais discretas vencem a queda de braços com o choque, Silas Marti, Folha de S.Paulo, 18 juil 2017
Les Métamorphoses du cercle, Clotilde Parlos, I/O Gazette, 30 juin 2016
Marius Schaffter et Jérôme Stünzi , comédien et plasticien suisses, Aude Lavigne, Les carnets de la création, France Culture, 24 juin 2016
Interpretationen mit alten Meistern, Marc Wermelinger, 041 Kulturteil, 12 sept 2015
L’art à l’heure de sa dissection, Samuel Schellenberg, le phare, Centre culturel suisse, sept-dec 2015
Old Masters déconstruisent des œuvres d’art avec perspicacité analytique et
humour, Daniel Imboden, Migros pour-cent culturel, 27 mai 2015
Credits
Conception: Marius Schaffter et Jérôme Stünzi – Old Masters
Construction: Jérôme Stünzi
Interpretation: Marius Schaffter
Administration: Laure Chapel – Pâquis Production
Production: Old Masters
Supports & Grants
2015 Award winner of Premio, swiss prize for emerging dance and theater
Supported by Ernst Göhner Foundation and Pour-cent culturel Migros, Ville de Genève, République et État de Genève