Photograph: Isango Portobello Company 2009
The Paper Body Collective
Under the direction of Visual Performance artist, Aja Marneweck, the company creates its theatre of difference through its avant garde edge and total theatre approach to puppetry, narrative, imagery, choreography and representation. The Paper Body Collective promotes the development of womens Visual Performance and Puppetry in Southern Africa through multidisciplinary creative projects, theatre, performance, dynamic collaborations, developmental workshops, talks, research and training. Exploring darker issues around gender, they are a vital contribution to developing multi-modal Visual Performance in South Africa today.
The Paper Body Collective have performed in South Africa, Zimbabwe, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Kenya, Finland and Sweden. The Paper Body Collective promotes top-class inventive puppetry, electric experimentation and collaborative creative development in nurturing risk-taking art.
Teeming multimedia always touching- Laurence Bertels, LaLibre Belgium
Aja Marneweck: Visual Innovation from Cape Town to the West End
Aja Marneweck is a professional visual performance artist, puppeteer, puppet-maker, creative, academic and director/founder of The Paper Body Collective based in Cape Town. She is currently completing the inaugural Phd by Practice in the Drama Department at the University of Cape Town, under the supervision of award winning performance artist Jay Pather. She has also completed two courses in Charleville Meziere France at the prestigious International Institute De La Marionette in 2005 and 2006, receiving bursaries from the French Institute of South Africa and ESNAM.
Her company, The Paper Body Collective have toured their work to over seven countries. Her new production on gender and migrancy, (In) Medea Res performed on the main programmes at the HIFA Festival in Harare in 2010 and in 2009 the prestigious Festival Mondial des Theatres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Meziere France, where it played to sold out audiences. It was also performed at the Tenwyngaert Theatre in Brussels and the Arenbergschouw Theatre in Antwerp, Belgium as the official gala production of Africalia. It was also a commissioned production at the Aardklop National Arts festival in Potchefstroom. She is currently developing her latest production PLOT 99, with collaborators from the US and South Africa.
Marneweck has also collaborated on various professional projects with award winning artists through the years. In 2009, Marneweck headed the development and design of the puppetry for Isango Portobellos new show Yimmimangaliso: The Mysteries at the Baxter Theatre Centre and the Garrick Theatre, West End London. She also created the shadow puppetry, masks and props as a co- designer on their new production Aesops Fables at the new Fugard Theatre. 2009 was also the world premiere of Marnewecks 15 minute dance video piece I am under at the Moves UK international video festival in Manchester UK.
Marneweck is passionate about developing the arts in South Africa. From 2005-2009 she used her excellent creative and producing gifts to play a seminal role in the establishment, creation, development, design and international production portfolio as co-director of the successful event Out The Box, the International Festival of Puppetry and Visual Performance, which is held in Cape Town. Taking a lead from Marnewecks passion for boundary crossing contemporary performance, this pioneering and unique arts platform is entering its fifth year and provides an annual platform for professional practitioners from across the globe whilst also focusing strongly on training, development and education through Puppetry and Visual Performance in South Africa. Marneweck is also an academic and has published articles for various publications including the South African Theatre Journal and The Open Page Odin Teatret, Denmark.
