Jan Fabre: death and rebirth of the theater

Abstract

Jan Fabre is one of the most controversial European scene figures. His interests range from visual arts to theater and dance. His works, disturbing and provocative, are very contemporary in style and language, while referring to the tradition of Flemish painting. With his performances Fabre demolishes traditional theatre conventions. Theatrical device questioning leads him to disorganize dynamics of representation and to elaborate the concept of crisis until death and apocalypse boundaries. In representing death, Fabre revives theater, according to the principle of metamorphosis. His entire choreography can be defined by balance seeking between opposite poles, good and evil, stasis and movement, beauty and chaos, life and death.