Sphinctérographie + Deface

In this double evening, Steven Cohen, a unique choreographer, performer and visual artist, offers deep insight into his comprehensive work, which he has created on multiple continents in the last three decades: in public spaces, art galleries or theatres. His trademark, bold and carefully applied makeup, is as elegant as it is surprising. He transforms himself every time into a colorful and simultaneously disturbing creature. The staging of his body is anything but narcissistic; instead, it creates the foundation for an investigation into the cracks and beauty of humanity. By entering onstage or public space, he creates a break in daily life and in spirit – not to stumble, but rather to be taken by the hand and confront the comfortable together, which is gaining more and more ground in our society.

SPHINCTÉROGRAPHIE – conference of self-reflection
With a rooster at the Trocadéro, in a destroyed township, at a dog show in Johannesburg… in different videos of his performances, Steven Cohen brings his identity as a Jew, white, South African and queer person into play and questions the connection between the private and political. Afterwards, there is time for an exchange with the audience.

DEFACE
In a second part of the evening, we are witness to Steven Cohen’s ritual of taking off his makeup. In this special moment, he leaves his character layer by layer and once again becomes the private Steven Cohen, in his purest intimacy. At the same time, a work of art is created that maintains traces of his character.

www.steven-cohen.com
www.stevenson.info/artist/steven-cohen