The project originated in Benno’s mind. But the performance itself is the result of our meeting. An encounter between two artists, from different worlds, one black and the other white. One Congolese and the other Italian, both living in Brussels. We both wanted to work together and face our differences.
What inspires you as an artist?
BENNO: The world around me, especially the political side of the world around me. I do research on identity and power structures. The invisible, the immaterial world and sometimes spiritual practices also make me think about political themes.
JOVIAL: My inspiration I get from everything around me. Everything I see, what I hear. From my life experiences, my history and those of others. But also from the media, social networks, everyday life.
How did your artistic journey go so far?
BENNO: In Italy, in high school, I had my first paid jobs in theater. Later I combined that with an education in politics. In London, my studies at university & in theater coincided during a master’s program. Back in Italy I realized my first big projects with my collective, worked with interesting theater companies and toured internationally to China, Canada, Argentina … but it was not enough to live on. Therefore, I took on other work, which meant the end of our collective. I have always admired Belgium – and Brussels in particular – for its contemporary theater, festivals, institutions and art forms. So I decided to move there. At first I felt like a migrant, a privileged white European male migrant, but still with all the migration problems that entailed. Now I feel much more at home. With this project, I have really arrived.
JOVIAL: My artistic trajectory so far has never been quiet sailing. There was always some swell. Maybe because I’m black? And maybe as a black person I have to fight the role of black? For me, this work is a matter of faith. And with faith, I hope to move mountains.
What drove you to create THE CHANCE TO FIND YOURSELF?
BENNO: Traveling to the Amazon jungle – for some plant diets and Ayahuasca ceremonies – was a healing experience, but also inspired me for my next performance. During one of those ceremonies, I saw myself standing on a stage with a black man, side by side. At first I didn’t know what to think about it, I was interested in themes such as racism, discrimination, white power structures … but those were not pressing issues at the time. That vision did give me confidence. Back in Brussels, I began – what all white people should do – to look into power structures and things that white people take for granted. And I found out so much about myself and about these structures. While working on that project, I began to change. And even more so while working with Jovial. The long conversations and exchanges with him were challenging, enriching and very transformative. I learned so much from this process, not only about Jovial’s life as a black person, but also about myself and my attitude toward blacks.
JOVIAL: The project originated in Benno’s mind. But the performance itself is the result of our encounter. An encounter between two artists, from different worlds, one black and the other white. One Congolese and the other Italian, both living in Brussels. We both wanted to work together and face our differences.
How do you differentiate yourself from other artists?
BENNO: I don’t know if I’m more special than other artists. I try to build a team, with common ground as a framework, involving each of us horizontally. There is no hierarchy, only an exchange of different skills and responsibilities. Jovial was closely involved in the entire process, from the financial side to artistic decisions. Otherwise, there would have been no consistency between what my art is trying to communicate and the process, the way I do things. While I know that perfect consistency is an ideal, I try to get as close to this ideal as possible.
JOVIAL: I work a lot. And when I’m not working, I watch others play. That feeds me. It puts me at ease in front of an audience, but most of all it makes me feel authentic. I’m always looking for authenticity on stage. And I think people can tell the difference between someone who plays with a ball every Sunday and someone who makes it his profession.
What is your favorite piece from the performance?
BENNO: Some of the last words of the play, when I ask Jovial about his name and what it means. He answers by asking me the same question about my name. Each time I seem to have an intimate moment there with Jovial, who is dear to me. As people sit watching us, I feel really close to him. It feels like a moment of true friendship that goes beyond portraying it on a stage.
JOVIAL: A difficult question, because I love the performance as a whole. Maybe the moment when we sit looking at each other à la Marina Abramović. That is a powerful moment for me, because I see something different in Benno’s gaze each time.
If the sky’s the limit, who is on your favorite dream team for a creation?
BENNO: The spirits of plants. I am starting a new project around plants. To me, plants have more power or qualities than people. We can only learn from them.
JOVIAL: Nothing is impossible in the Congo. In my dream team I see Pitchen, Masta, Rocky boy. It is normal that no one knows them. We see only celebrities. I love people no one sees, I love invisible people.
