MONICA
Monica Lilienfeld (Pablo’s mum) was a painter who died very young, in 1986. Monica Pezdirc (Fede’s mum) posed nude throughout her life in the erotic photographs taken by her husband. The paintings and photographs created by our mothers form the basis of this work, which interweaves our diasporic genealogies and explores the performativity of images.
In Monica the trees of traditional genealogy intermingle, forming a web of non-heteronormative maternities and speculative telenovelas. A genealogical ecology is thus formed in which not only the epic of wars, migrations and other patriarchal-historicist narratives coexist, but also those that have been left out.
Premiere: spring 2025
PRESENTATIONS
Monica (Belgian premiere)
13+14/06/2025
Kaaitheater, Brussels
Monica (Spanish premiere)
11+12/05/2025
Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona
Monica - Episodio 5: Bajo el sol cegador (gallery format)
27/09/2024
Lazos Mecánicos. Artium, Vitoria
Monica - Episode 4: Ultraviolet stroke (worl-in-progress)
21/04/2024
Open Studios. Kaaistudios, Brussels
Monica - Episode 3: Stranded statue (work-in-progress)
12/04/2024
Tanzhaus Zurich
Monica - Episodio 2: La quiero ver bailar (work-in-progress)
21/10/2023
Hacer Historia(s), Barcelona
Monica - Episodio 1: Déjenla sola (work-in-progress)
8+9/11/2023
Festival Plataforma, Santiago de Compostela
CREDITS
A project by Federico Vladimir & Pablo Lilienfeld
Based on the paintings by Monica Lilienfeld and the photographs by Monica Pezdirc and Federico Strate.
Music by Pablo and Fede, created in collaboration with and sung by Sophie Taylor, Janet Novas, Cris Blanco, Adriana Reyes, Anaël Snoek & Bunny Cadag
Video by Fede and Pablo in collaboration with Quiela Nuc
Video guest stars: our nieces and nephews
Digital environment: NastPlas
Voiceover: Anaël Snoek
Monica Lilienfeld’s voice: Monica Kerner
Dramaturgical advice: Simon Baetens
Movement advice: Mario Barrantes
Scenography: Špela Tušar & Carmen Triñanes
Light design: Iván Cascon
Costume design: Aarón López
Make up design: Esther Quintas
Portraits of Fede & Pablo: Juan Papagnimeca
Additional instruments: Yamila Ríos & Rafael Cereceda
Genealogy advice: Regula Bochsler
Paintings documentation: Santiago Esbert
Production: AnAku
Co-production: C-TAKT, Mercat de les Flors, workspacebrussels, Viernulvier and Spanish Embassy in Belgium.
Residency support: Kaaitheater, Graner, C-TAKT, workspacebrussels, Tanzhaus Zurich, Paraíso / MIT, La Poderosa & Auditorio de Tenerife
With the support of de Vlaamse Overheid
Thanks to Bâtard Festival, Sabine Cmelniski, Martin Zícari, Jesús Ubera, Sonia Gomez, Conchita Pons, Norberto Llopis, Mentah, Raúl Querido, Alejandro Marani, Carina Erdmann y Caroline Godard.
