Fördärvet
Fördärvet is a performance collective, a group of six artists with collectivity in their (actual) DNA. Fördärvet means “destruction”. Through theatre, dance, music, installation and film they tear apart the sense of absurdness and destroy it only to deflower what what comes out of it, an allowing platform. They are like the good bacterias in our gut floras, or rather, a fiery chimera.
Fördärvet is a performance collective of six artists.
With stuff like rubber, linkedin, champagne, dance and the colour of beige they portrait the grotesqueness of the contemporaries.
What is Fördärvet performance and what do you do?
Based on the feeling of finding ourselves in an utterly irrational situation and a need to express the sense of absurdity, grotesqueness and ugliness that we experience around us, we became Fördärvet. Through collectivity we create space for uncensored expression and joy for life. In the midst of uncertainty and fear, unable to formulate ourselves in any other way, Fördärvet became what Fördärvet is.
We are a performance art collective consisting of six artists sharing a studio space in Malmö, Sweden. Fördärvet’s works are interdisciplinary, experimenting with alternative ways to express ourselves through theatre, dance, music, installation and film. Fördärvet consists of Esmeralda Ahlqvist, Emma-Cecilia Ajanki, Julia Cechal, Eira Fråjdh, Fabian Nyman & Fredrika Vilselius.
How did you guys meet? How was the collective assembled? What backgrounds do you have?
Some of us met while studying, but as a group we met through the shared studio space where we hosted most of our performance art festivals.
Eira and Fredrika grew up together on a farm in Texas, Julia had just been parted from her siamese ex-twin, Esmeralda grew up in a precarious situation in a lighthouse on the Latin American pacific coast and Emma-Cecilia escaped the russian ballet while Fabian is an original Malmöit who found us and adopted us.
- Fredrika, Julia, Eira, Esmeralda.
Fördärvet found me when I was lost - Emma-Cecilia
What does your performances aim to say? In which way is it political (if you think it is)?
Our performances most often portrait the absurdity in how contemporary capitalism shapes our desires. We’re people with bleeding hearts trying to make the best out of the situation - Emma- Cecilia
In one word: collectivity. It's in our DNA, and we refuse the romantic notion of the artist as a lone genius.- Eira
Yes, we are a monster, like a Chimera. We just want destruction to the order of things and let others in as we play around. Anyone can join - big or small, near or far! - Julia
To us, primarily, it’s all about creating a playful, allowing and empowering platform. Being politic is secondary. - Fredrika
It aims to express the broadness of our wildest fantasies, including appropriating the upper and high culture, exploring the freedom to choose whatever field tingles our lust to express ourselves, we practice playfulness to the fullest with a true fighting spirit - we don’t need weapons, we are one.
Politics fade, Fördärvet is eternal... - Esmeralda
Went to a lecture about Rosa Luxemburg and the german revolution the other day, her ideas seem to for example summon up what we’re doing quite well. Other than that, I spent a lot of time on contemporary spiritual instagram accounts lately. - Julia
Which different medias do you find interesting to work with as expression?
Baking, dancing, facebooking. - Emma-Cecilia
Music, writing, the color beige - Eira
Linkedin, mirrors, wigs, money - Fredrika
Love, relationships, images/words, your body/self/life as expression - Julia
Foam, ropes, rubber, champagne, cameras, massage and fighting - Esmeralda
Do you think it’s possible to fail a performance in the same way a painting can be ruined
Most of our performances are failures. Restraints and time limitation often leaves room to improvise on the spot, which usually adds an unexpected dynamic and liveliness to the work. (Eira)
Performance exists in time and space, how does one trash that? Please tell me! - Emma-Cecilia
Failure is integral to attempting anything, no? - Julia
Fördärvet means “destruction”.
We tear apart, we destroy, we deflower whatever comes in our way, with great love and tenderness. Our process contains failure as a main ingredient - Esmeralda
If Fördärvet was a dish what would it be?
Frutti di mare. A plateau de fruits de mer served on a bed of ice, followed by a parade of delicious, sweet pastries.
What are you working on at the moment?
Among other things we are currently expanding and preparing to start up our film studios in Möllywood. - Julia. Working hard in the lab to find a way to retrospectively make ourselves siblings. - Emma-Cecilia
We are working on starting a business called “Fördärvet Office AB”. Somewhere we can collaborate performance art/musical and paperwork. We’re also constantly working on new collections to our fashion brand - Esmeralda
We’re also working on a performance installation for experimental music festival INTONAL in April, hosting a local work in progress- night called WIP together with INKONST in May, and will present a serie of works at the Erotikafton events throughout the year. Up next is a performance croquis on Skissernas Night in March held by Skissernas Museum. Hopefully we’ll also organize another conceptual performance festival in our shared studio space in Malmö.
Do you have plans on performing elsewhere than Malmö/ Sweden this year?
Not yet. As we prefer locally grown we are yet centering and rooting ourselves in our hometown Malmö, before preparing to export abroad. - Julia
If you know someone looking for live art for their event do send us a message. Or if you just wanna have a talk or trade secrets! We also welcome future collaborations *emoji*
courtesy FÖRDÄRVET
interview REBECCA LOVGRENS
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