Diary of an unknownwn

The diary of an unknown is the Josef Nadj’s piece the most introspective and the most clearly autobiographical, that once again evokes his home town Kanjiza. A solo composed “after” both the choreographer’s diary and poems by Otto Tolnai.

Choreography : Josef Nadj

I am afraid that you will make an exception for me Lord I beseech you do not save me that would be more manly do not save me in spite of my prayers a schoolchild repenting a first mortal sin I shall implore you unceasingly do not save me with my tears I shall fill all your receptacles your dented thimbles your enormous barrels I shall sob in all your holed black socks Lord I beg you do not save me let the rat diligent worker driller of tunnels build a road through my belly let the wolf locked within me noisily chew my face rather marvel to see us more than ever you marveled at seeing smitten lovers Lord I beseech you do not save me hear my prayer pure ice broken up do not save me I know you have never saved anyone but I am afraid that you will make an exception for me I beseech you Lord do not save me I beseech you do not save me.

Otto Tolnai Excerpt from or brulant Collection of poems translated from Hungarian by L. Gaspard, S Clair and J. Lackfi Foreword by Josef Nadj Published by Editions Ibolya Virag, 2001

The journal of an unknown

It took Josef Nadj fifteen years to turn to the form of the solo, and without a doubt it is because it is his first experience in the matter that Journal d’un inconnu is his most introspective piece, the most clearly autobiographical.

Renewing a connection with his first works, it once again evokes his home town Kanjiza – the piece is explicitly composed “after” both the choreographer’s journal and poems by Otto Tolnai, himself also originally from Kanjiza. Nevertheless, by way of their respective creative work, Journal d’un inconnu above all pays tribute to three of the town’s personalities. First the mythical Laszlo Toth, the Australian geologist originally from Kanjiza who became world famous in 1972 – for mutilating Michelangelo’s Pieta in Rome. And next, two men Nadj rubbed shoulders with and who each committed suicide, the vagabond painter Tihamér Dobó, and Antal, also known as Toni Kovács, former wrestler become sculpture.

Manifestly a reference to Nadj himself, the title’s “inconnu” – the stranger – is of course a sign of that irreducible part of strangeness to oneself that is our common lot. But it designates even more the territory surveyed, each in his own way, by the iconoclast and the two visual artists – as well as by Josef Nadj and his poet friend Ottó Tolnai. Art and creation constitute, with their part of unfinishedness and fragility, and with the place they take or should take in our lives, the central question of Journal d’un inconnu.

Myriam Bloedé 

CREDITS

Chorégraphie et interprétation : Josef Nadj D’après le journal de Josef Nadj et des poèmes d’Otto Tolnai. Musiques : Percussions d’Ethiopie, “Akira Sakata”, musiques traditionnelles de Hongrie, de Roumanie et du Mexique. Scénographie : Josef Nadj et Rémi Nicolas Création lumières : Rémi Nicolas assisté de Xavier Lazarini Costumes : Bjanka Ursulov Décors : Michel Tardif Peinture des décors : Jacqueline Bosson Conception vidéo : Thierry Thibaudeau

Equipe technique en tournée Régie générale et plateau : Alexandre De Monte Régie lumières : Christian Halkin Régie vidéo et son : Thierry Thibaudeau ou Gilles Rodriguez

Production et diffusion : Michel Chilavo

Durée : 1heure

Création à la Biennale de Venise, le 6 juin 2002

Coproduction : Centre Chorégraphique National d’Orléans, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, La Biennale de Venise