OPA FASHION - at Grind Art Club with Mischa & Vejde Grind
Friday, December 6 at 6:00 PM.
The residency presentation lasts about 30-45 minutes.
SITE, Mårbackagatan 5C, Building H, 123 43 Farsta
Free entrance!
The recipient of SITE's production residency for contemporary circus this year is Vejde Grind. During two weeks in December, he is working on two different projects in SITE's black box.
On Friday, December 6, a work-in-progress showing of the upcoming performance OPA FASHION will be held, created by Vejde alongside his brother Mischa Grind. This residency presentation serves as an initial public encounter, occurring halfway through the development of the piece. OPA FASHION will have its pre-premiere at Dansinitiativet in Luleå on January 17, 2025, and an official premiere at Pfefferberg Theatre in Berlin on April 25-26, 2025.
OPA FASHION captivates with a fascinating interplay of sound and movement, weaving together contemporary circus and experimental live music. This innovative exploration involves the two siblings, equipped with Cyr wheel, percussion, and groundbreaking technology. Multi-instrumentalist Mischa Grind crafts innovative soundscapes that Vejde transforms into flowing, rhythmic movements within the spinning Cyr wheel. Enchanting sound is produced on the mic-amplified wheel and the newly invented "string-wheel," a unique hybrid of a double bass and a Cyr wheel, alongside innovative sound design, live loops, and qualitative improvisation, enveloping the audience in a continuous flow of sound-infused movements and deep emotional experiences. The boundaries between past and present, body and instrument, are challenged and obscured, deepening and renewing the tradition of circus and music.
The performance aims to break away from traditions, creating new pathways in art, where improvisation and playfulness are as crucial as technical precision. The artists employ absurdity and rawness to draw the audience into the present moment, inviting them to experience the performance through all their senses. In OPA FASHION, the characters are caricatures of the artists' professional roles—shaped by fraternal love and marked by a shared background of anthroposophical sacredness and humorous absurdity—yet always with a genuine and generous twinkle in their eyes.
The piece explores not only the blending of different art forms but also the deeper and more personal narrative of brotherhood, heritage, and creative intuition. Expect a powerful, playful, and innovative experience that invites a moment of presence, wonder, and interaction—OPA FASHION promises to be a visually striking and entirely unique performance.
Participants
Concept: Vejde Grind & Mischa Grind
External Eye: Niklas Niki Blomberg
Costume: Lea Norrman Firus
Sound Design & Music: Mischa Grind & Vejde Grind
Collaborators: Dansinitiativet Luleå & SITE Sweden
Support: Kulturrådet & Konstnärsnämnden
Residency: Subtopia, SITE Sweden, Chamäleon Theater, Cirkus Cirkör, Riksteatern, Dansinitiativet, Gula Villan
Vejde Grind - A circus artist with interests in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary art. Based in Stockholm, he works extensively internationally. His artistic expression manifests through dance, acrobatics, music, and sound design. His specific circus discipline is known as the “Cyr wheel.” With a background in street dance and extreme sports, he began exploring the contemporary dance and circus scene by studying dance acrobatics at the New Circus High School, Cirkus Cirkör in Stockholm. He later moved to Brussels to continue his studies at ESAC (Ecole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque) and graduated in 2019. Since then he has worked as a freelance circus artist and is currently touring two personal works: "H O M A N" in collaboration with the French-Belgian company Collectif Malunés and his solo performance “SOULO."
Mischa Grind - A 32-year-old freelance musician and composer from Järna, south of Stockholm. Growing up with Swedish folk music, he developed a passion for intercultural collaborations and improvisation. He holds a Master’s degree in contemporary traditional music and improvisation from the University of Gothenburg, combining tradition with innovation in his work. Mischa creates music and performative art that resonates and engages, with a particular focus on integrating folk music in contemporary contexts. As a composer for both film and theatrical performances, he explores new musical expressions that challenge boundaries and inspire novel ways of listening. Through his ability to merge musical heritage with modern influences, he builds bridges between cultures and generations. Mischa is a sought-after artist who continually strives to create art that touches the heart and opens the mind.