H.U.G
by Mandafounis, McATAMNEY, O'REILLY
Inspired by social experimentation, Ioannis Mandafounis, Aoife McAtamney & Erin O'Reilly bring artistic physical experience into the social frame of urban spaces by using a pre-existing form and transforming it into a human artistic result.
By looking at the current social situation and its political dead-end, the trio Mandafounis / McAtamney / O'Reilly propose an alternative.
A way of co-existing and co-creating equally.
A way to understand and practice collaboration as well as coexistence.
A way to understand our humanity.
Being present in a chosen public space Ioannis, Aoife & Erin offer a « hug » to the people.
The rule is to give and receive a hug from a person that wishes to become part of the experience. As an objective, the people involved will have to feel what is behind the physical form in which we live in.
In practice the performers invite the audience members to act as performers and hug them as long as they can, or as long as it takes until the hugging bodies start sharing and exchanging feelings, emotions and information.
All participants reach a transcendent phase of togetherness.
H.U.G. exercises common effort.
As much for the performers as for the audience members, this project becomes a truly shared experience.