The Ballad of Erol Klof

Wild men

For Zita Swoon Group’s latest production, frontman Stef Kamil Carlens drew his inspiration from folk art and rituals. One of the books on his desk is Wilder Mann: The Image of the Savage. In it, the French photographer Charles Fréger portrays beautiful creatures from European folkloric traditions – and the human fascination for all that is natural, original and wild that is expressed in them.

Just as he did for Nothing that is Everything – Zita Swoon Group’s homage to Dadaism – Carlens seeks out anchor points in early twentieth century modern art. He is fascinated by the apparent contrast between the modernist ambition to control nature and the close connection with the very same nature and folklore that many ‘moderns’ so cherish. For instance, there is the choreographer Rudolf von Laban, one of the founders of modern dance. He ranged over the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire to observe folk dancing. Or the German Mary Wigman, who in her mysterious Hexentanz portrays a possessed woman who is directly related to Frégers ‘wild men’. The Ballad of Erol Klof once again promises to be a mix of dance, music, wordplay, costumes and masks. Welcome to the magical world of Zita Swoon.

Zita Swoon Group takes a walk on the wild side.  Read an interview with Stef Kamil Carlens on Bruzz