Performance series

Veronika Hösch und Suzie Léger

{over-} above is a performance series by Veronika Hösch und Suzie Léger. Since 2007 it has been in a state of continuous production and development. The performances are process-oriented and the artists slide between roles which are various and often grotesque. They transform themselves into sharply defined, exaggerated ‘super-identities’: Super Véro and Super Suzie. Through the continuous changes of costume, environment and movement they create a fluid and fantastical super-identity which transcends traditional roles. Then in turn the ‘super-identities’ are put in question through parody, as Veronika and Susanne toy with archetypical images and with ideas of themselves as female* artists.

The performance series is a cycle with no defined end, arranged into sections and sub-sections or ‘levels’, which, each time they are performed, are re-edited and developed into new chapters of an ongoing work. The artists always work with reference to the locality and to actual performance space, the performances being interactive conversations between artist, space and audience. Their work moves between performance, installation, video, experimental dance, sound and theatre.

Costumes and Environments

The inspiration for the costumes is art-historical and drawn in particular from an Anglo-European tradition. The materials are chosen specifically to attempt a redefinition of traditional fashion styles. The ‘Super-Outfits’ are influenced by American superheroes of the 1980s; the neon ballet outfits allude to the paintings of Edgar Degas. The outfits use fantasy costumes, animal masks and organic materials (which often look like fat, causing a certain confusion). Glamour, kitsch and ‘trash’ are influences on both outfits and stage designs, which tend to be humorous. They refashion consumer items into new forms, using a variety of materials. The costumes and stage sets rely on the acceptance of a collective cultural memory, playing on what the audience recognises sub-consciously, so as slyly to upset expectations.

Sound and Super Song

The energy which runs through the {over-} above performances is set into motion by the experimental Super Songs. These are composed and produced by the artists, who use volume and tempo to accentuate breaks and transitions between character metamorphoses. The Super Songs mix elements of pop, electronic, techno and rock music and use repetition and catchy melodies deliberately to underscore the action. They take simple refrains and traditional song structures and break these down into dissonance. The lyrics deal humorously and ironically with the consumption of art and culture, with the idea of the star, and with the stylised super-identities of the two artists – Super Suzie and Super Véro – as well as their ’real’ identities as artists. At the same time the lyrics provide a running commentary on the action, an experimental soundtrack like a radio play. The Super Song is an important constant in the performance series.

Text by David Lillington