Biography

MFK Bochum is the group of the artists Katarína Marková, Franziska Schneeberger and Marlene Ruther. The three came together in 2018 in the Scenic Research study programme at the Ruhr University Bochum, became friends and started working together. From ecological and feminist perspectives on somatic body practices, improvisation in movement and sound, through to mobility policy their interests each find their own form. Between lecture and performance, with instruments, their bodies, the environment, in a DIY manner.

Artistic project

Behind noise walls and crash barriers, on meadows near the highway, in the shade of industrial facilities, MFK Bochum bring together human and more-than-human local voices for creating a physical experience of motorways. Sonic Highway is a performance series, which began in 2020. This part takes the concept of a European road network as its starting point which was developed by the foundation of Bureau International des Autoroutes in Geneva in 1931. Until today the network is not yet complete and probably not intended to be completed ever. However, new connections are planned, and old ones are under construction to be repaired or finished. In terms of a necessary mobility turnaround for a liveable future on earth, the ongoing road construction process has fallen out of time, an old promising vision of the future straight from the past. Imagine a future opening ceremony of a highway not for cars but for all survivors on this damaged planet. Residents will be invited to become part of the performance as allies, dialogue partners, and co-performers. The project aims to open up critical, humorous, and sensual events for its audience to consider automobilism in its transnational complexity within local, social, and ecological structures.

Format: walk and performance

Size of audience: 100 - 150 people

Specific location: spot near by highway

Timing / duration: afternoon performance, before/with sunset around 150 minutes