The Botanical Garden of Padua is transformed for the site-specific artistic performance of Stand-Alones (Polyphony), which is presented by Liquid Loft, under the artistic direction of Chris Haring. Stand-Alones are various solistic movement symphonies, as each solo performance is a choreographic composition that uses a piece of very specific music, language or sound. The audience is aroused in wonder and surprise much like the echoes of the plants found in the world’s first university botanical garden. Inspired by the artistic concepts of form, line, and perspective, the utopian characters of Liquid Loft emerge from an apparent void, building a polyphony of signs and emotions and pursuing or shunning, from time to time, perfect unison. The dramaturgy is based on the interconnections created by the spectators themselves, linked to the surrounding environment, the direction of movement, and the order in which they decide to experience the performance.
The entrance ticket (single rate of 5 euros) can be purchased online or at the ticket office starting from 11 July.
Admission is free, upon reservation, for some visitors: children up to 5 years; Unipd students and staff; people with disabilities and an accompanying caregiver; journalists; tour guides, and Botanical Garden members.
The outdoor event takes place on the lawn in front of the greenhouses of the Biodiversity Garden that will remain open throughout the evening. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held on Thursday, August 25.
In 2005, choreographer Chris Haring together with musician Andreas Berger, dancer Stephanie Cumming, and dramaturge Thomas Jelinek founded the international dance company Liquid Loft in Vienna. Inspired by science-fiction literature and cyborg theory, Liquid Loft’s works reflect how our perceptions and bodies are transformed through visual media and the everyday use of technology.
The event is organized in celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the University of Padua, as the Botanical Garden offers the Summertime in the Garden series of events that highlights the University’s dedication to Freedom. Libera la Natura (Free Nature) offers the public a ‘live’ viewing of the Botanical Garden and its collection, sharing secrets of the plant world from this unique location and UNESCO World Heritage Site.