Linh Le (DK)
So the city is as citizen, so the city is as species
Durational performance ritual where art and climate activism merge
Presented in collaboration with IETM Aarhus 2023
Venue: Rådhuspladsen (The Town Hall Square), 8000 Aarhus C
Rebelling against the dominance of the human species, performance artist and climate activist Linh Le creates a nature zone in the middle of the city, transporting by bikes a 10-ton pile of soil with the help of the community. In the soil, Linh Le connects with and brings to life the very rare plant species Pentanema Squarrosum, investigating habitability, interspecies meetings and communities.
Pentanema Squarrosum is one of Aarhus’ responsible species. At least 20% of the species’ total population lives in Denmark and therefore Denmark – and Aarhus as the ambassador of the species – has a special national responsibility to protect the species as it is globally considered rare.
There is free access to the performance ritual which develops over the course of a day:
Monday 12 June 22:06 – 00:00: Moving the soil *
Tuesday 13 June 00:00 – 12:00: Moving the soil *
Tuesday 13 June 12:00 – 16:00: Performance Ritual by Linh Le
Tuesday 13 June 16:00 – 16:15: Speech by Linh Le
Tuesday 13 June 16:15 – 19:00: The soil rests
Tuesday 13 June 19:00 – 22:07: Common ritual for everyone interested
* Citizens are encouraged to help this project succeed by biking with the soil from Godsbanen to Rådhuspladsen. Read more here.
Dates / times: Monday 12 June 22:06 – Tuesday 13 June 22:07
Venue: In front of the City Hall of Aarhus
Address: Rådhuspladsen, 8000 Aarhus C
Duration: 24 hours 1 minute
Language/subtitles: English
About Linh Le
Linh Le works with performance, dance, video art and climate activism. Artistically, she works to create spaces for intimacy and healing related to topics such as migration politics, climate and biodiversity crisis, isolation, alienation, dreams and desires. She is educated in Aesthetics and Culture from Aarhus University (bachelor) and Performance Design & Planning from Roskilde University (master).
Linh Le is the prototype of a new generation of artists who, with their own bodies, are exploring the possibility of finding a balance between a growing desperation and maintaining the belief in a different way of being human / species.
As a child of freedom fighters who came to Denmark as boat refugees from Vietnam, and as a witness to their struggles in Danish society, Linh Le is strongly called to free herself through dance, to challenge the norms, to transcend boundaries and explore how the body can act, transform and demand space for the less heard voices.
Linh Le is co-founder and member of the performance climate activist group Becoming Species which in close alliance with Extinction Rebellion and Embassy of the Species has made several performative actions in public space to amplify nature’s diverse voices.
Credits
Performance Artist and Climate activist
Linh Le
Performance photos
Frej Pries Schmedes
Supported by
City of Aarhus