Humans and Demons

Humans and Demons, the 56th edition of steirischer herbst festival, turns to character-based storytelling to address the demons surrounding, or inhabiting, humans in current and past crises. Neither heroes nor villains, its real or fictitious protagonists, around which four exhibitions see their narratives built, resemble the charismatic rogues of the picaresque novel—an early modern form that fits a city flaunting a premodern topography. Taking place from September 21 to October 15 in Graz and Styria, Austria, the festival’s works in different media, from installation to sculpture to performance, offer points from which to reassess the city and the world it contains.

steirischer herbst ’23 starts at the highest and most symbolic point of central Graz—Schloßberg, near the historical clock tower. An imposing 1930s monument of a soldier stands there, as a statement of crypto-fascist aggressive heroism. Festival director Ekaterina Degot and artist Lulu Obermayer refer to this demonic figure of the past in a speech and opera performance, respectively.

A second opening act takes visitors down to lively Mariahilferplatz, where a new major political figure in town, the director of behavior, is introduced, through a performance by Michael Portnoy. The festival’s first day concludes at Helmut List Halle with a new performance by Adrienn Hód / HODWORKS that likewise deals with the pressures and seductions of obedience.

The opening weekend continues with more newly commissioned performances as well as a concert by ILYICH. Michael Portnoy reinvents human exchange in a carnivalesque gathering, Giacomo Veronesi looks at geopolitical gray zones on the Estonian-Russian border, and Mateja Bučar examines the erasure of Jewish Graz. Later in the festival, they are joined by Jasmina Cibic’s musical performance about political speech (commissioned and coproduced with Kunsthaus Graz), Madame Nielsen’s intervention into the life and death of David Bowie, and Theater im Bahnhof’s exploration of deliberative democracy.

The festival’s four group exhibitions also open on September 21. In four different locations, they show works—including many new commissions—revolving around historical protagonists connected to the history of Graz: erstwhile Nazi and jazz expert Dietrich Schulz-Köhn, aka Dr. Jazz; exiled Bulgarian dissident and fringe physicist Stefan Marinov; émigré artist Mira Schendel; and the fictitious Frieda, who only exists on a postcard doctored to allay Nazi suspicions.

The exhibitions and performances of Humans and Demons are accompanied by artist talks and discussions. Highlights include a day-long series of panels about “Curating the Troubled Past” featuring Defne Ayas, Hans D. Christ, Iris Dressler, Tom Engels, Elisabeth Fiedler, Ruth Noack, and Ares Shporta. steirischer herbst Research Fellow Soim Lee joins the event as a respondent. In addition, a day trip to Ljubljana takes visitors to a conversation between Peter Sloterdijk and Slavoj Žižek co-organized with the INDIGO Festival (it is also live streamed).

For the second year in a row, steirischer herbst also turns to cabaret and its capacity for gritty, gutsy social criticism, with six new shows by Julie Béna, Selin Davasse, Barbara Juch, Jessika and Jimmy Khazrik, Mikołaj Sobczak, and Stefanie Sourial.

The festival concludes on October 15 with a game show–like panel discussion that imagines its state fifty years from now. Participants include Thomas Geiger, Markus Gönitzer, Christoph Gurk, Rose-Anne Gush, Ulrike Haidacher, Ulrich Lenz, Ferdinand Nagele, Irina Nalis, Peter Pakesch, Jan Tappe, and Helene Thümmel.

Participating artists: Pavel Brăila, Mateja Bučar, Andrea Büttner, Zuleikha Chaudhari, Jasmina Cibic, Alice Creischer, Lucile Desamory, Anna Engelhardt and Mark Cinkevich, Vadim Fishkin, Andreas Fogarasi, Hollis Frampton, Cyprien Gaillard, Dani Gal, Pedro Gómez-Egaña, Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys, Georg Haberler, Adrienn Hód / HODWORKS, Anton Kats / ILYICH, Dana Kavelina, Maria Loboda, Madame Nielsen, Eteri Nozadze, Lulu Obermayer, Michael Portnoy, Shimabuku, Michael Stevenson, Meg Stuart, Markus Sworcik and René Stiegler, Theater im Bahnhof, and Giacomo Veronesi; Julie Béna, Selin Davasse, Barbara Juch, Jessika and Jimmy Khazrik, Mikołaj Sobczak, and Stefanie Sourial

As ever, steirischer herbst contains a varied Partner Program by local art institutions and cultural initiatives as well as the festivals-within-the-festival ORF musikprotokoll and Out of Joint.

steirischer herbst ’23 is curated by Ekaterina Degot, David Riff, Pieternel Vermoortel, Gábor Thury, and Barbara Seyerl, and created by the festival’s whole team. herbst cabaret is curated by Mirela Baciak.

Press and professionals are welcome to apply for accreditation for the opening days’ program as well as the performances and premieres during the festival.

For further information or questions, please contact the press department.