Frames

How defining is a frame for a painting? What if you remove the frame? Or vice versa: what if you remove the artwork and just look at the frame? Frames explores this relationship between frame and art, placing Not Standing’s physical movement art in outdoor visual frames. 

Alexander Vantournhout and his three co-performers focus once again on movement art in its purest form. Meticulously, the four performers build ever-changing body sculptures in the viewing frames.  Bodies intertwine, hang from and climb on the frames, walk upside down, and defy both gravity and your imagination. Each movement is a continuous search for balance, focusing on cooperation and body control. 

The observer can view all this from all sides: from the front, side, and even from below. Perspectives tilt and physical logic seems to disappear. Frames invites you on a trail along choreographic installations that challenge and blend art and viewing perspectives into physical poetry in the public space.

Over the past decade, Alexander Vantournhout has created an impressive and diverse body of work, with group performances like Foreshadow (2023) and Contre-jour (2021); solos like VanThorhout (2022) and ANECKXANDER (2015); and duets like every_body (2024) and Through the Grapevine (2020). With Frames, he knits a sequel to the location performance SCREWS (2019). Not Standing once again invites you to swap the comfortable theatre seat for an exploration into the limits of the body, space, and viewing perspective.

Concept & choreography: Alexander Vantournhout

Created with and performed by: Chia-Hung Chung, Axel Guérin, Emmi Väisänen & Alexander Vantournhout

Dramaturgy: Sébastien Hendrickx & Rudi Laermans

Research collaborators: Charlotte Cétaire, Mélusine Lavinet-Drouet, Petra Steindl & Esse Vanderbruggen

Costumes: Patty Eggerickx assisted by: Coline Paquet and Isabelle Airaud Prints: Daniel Henry Studio

Constructions: Willy Cauwelier, Bram Dobbelaere

Tour management: Frans Brood Productions

Company management: Esther Maas

Technics: Bram Vandeghinste, Bert Van Dijck, Lukas Vanhoutte

Production & tourmanagement: Janne Coonen & Kiki Verschueren

Communication: Kiki Verschueren

Production: Not Standing

Co-production: Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER Ghent (BE), De Hallen van Schaarbeek (BE), Le CENTQUATRE (Paris),  Le Carreau Scène nationale de Forbach et de l'Est mosellan (FR), Scène nationale Carré‑Colonnes Blanquefort (FR)

Created with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government, via Flanders Tax Shelter. Not Standing is supported by the Flemish Government.

Alexander Vantournhout is artist-in-residence at Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER in Ghent and associated artist of le CENTQUATRE Paris. He is cultural ambassador of the city of Roeselare and supported by Fondation BNP Paribas for the development of his projects.