Saturday night, 9 April, 2011 a special performance is to take place: Revoking The Gift, a cooperative project from artists Dirk Jan Jager and Simon Ferdinando. A luminescent, naked man, as depicted by Blake* and Tiepolo** will present himself. Intense lighting, produced by welding apparatus, creates an intense shadow play. There will be a “physical” experience of light. A gamelan played by Clara de Mik will accompany the spectacle. Free entrance, show starts at 8 pm.

The full title of the performance is: “Revoking The Gift: if it’s hell for leather, then what’s the point of heaven?”. The duo Jager / Ferdinando developed a concept in which the artists are performing inside the building, while light and sound produced can be experienced outside.
Inside cold and heavy metal is transformed into light, by welding machines. In this light the artist strives to make analogue photographs of himself. It is hell, as a consequence of the intense UV-radiation, extreme temperatures and toxic fumes.

The public is seated on a purpose-built stand. At first the building looks totally closed. Windows are blinded with gold foil, total darkness reigns. As soon as the welding gear is switched on, it becomes clear what is going on inside. This forces the onlookers to physically experience “light”.

Jager / Ferdinando consciously went for a general public project. Not just the hard core art crowd, but also neighbors and young people that seldom if ever come into contact with art, are invited to take their place on the stand.

The male body is central for Jager / Ferdinando. They show situations of embodiment. Naked welding is the core of this occasion. The act of welding is isolated: it produces nothing material, be it sculpture or any other construction. Creating extreme light is the one and only purpose. This light is used to create living window silhouettes, like wajang effects of darkness and light. Revoking The Gift sets old traditions of shadow play in a new light. Live gamelan music will be part of the performance.

Jager / Ferdinando is Dirk Jan Jager and Simon Ferdinando. They are responsible for concept development and performance.
'wax latex mud' 2009 was one earlier joint project, performed in Manifestaçào Internacional de Performance MIP, Belo Horizonte (Brazil) and annual performance festival VERBO, São Paulo (Brazil).
'Sugar Sickness' 2010, also a joint project, at the Oude Kerk (Old Church), Amsterdam, formed the final performance of a full evening program, winning the prestigious Museum Night Program Award.

*Glad Day 1794, The Angel of Revelation, 1805
**Apollo and the Continents, 1752