Seven Seconds – We Are All Lichens
We increasingly encounter problems whose common denominator is the inability to reflect on the problem and the inability to find its solution. The key elements are time and the lack of a responsive environment.
According to research by neuroscientists, most of the time, human beings function in routine activities, or in activities that are defined by inertia and the repetition of usual patterns. The problem arises if the previous formulas cease to be functional – when the world around us changes, we need to rethink our choices. To re-evaluate.
The basic condition for this is (self) reflection. An individual is able to concentrate fully and continuously for self-reflection in an average of only 7 seconds. Then our reasoning is diverted. However, if we try to reflect on reality in dialogue, we are able to concentrate on (self) reflection for up to 60 minutes. Discussions, conversations, dialogue is not only important for gaining knowledge on the people around us, but also for a purely practical reason: to be able to concentrate on reflection.
Meanwhile, Lichens are organisms that give us a perfect picture of symbiotic existence. They are representatives of network, working in a smart and highly developed manner.
7 seconds to think -We are all lichens is inspired by this non- human way of life; We are all lichens; we need to speak and to be heard by others. Otherwise we will have to try to change our lives in poor seven seconds.
Together with local young participants in workshops, Petra Fornayová will explore, what happens, if the routines that constitute a framework for our minds are tampered with.
In this public showing, the performers create a common movement vocabulary, in interaction with the audience. Oscillating between the common and shared, solo parts in interaction with the music & text, rhythmic in 7 sec. entries, this performance examines what happens to our 7 second reflections.
GREEN STREETS OF EUROPE RESIDENCY
The Hungarian artist Dávid Somló is one of the participating artists in the European project Green Streets of Europe (2023–2025). From April 23 to May 1, 2025, he and Slovak artist Petra Fornayová will take part in a residency hosted by Helsingør Teater and PASSAGE Festival to further develop their artistic investigations.
In the Green Streets of Europe project, artists and festivals work together to rethink conventional structures for the production and international touring of performing arts works in public spaces.
Traditional touring practices carry a significant environmental cost. Green Streets of Europe therefore shifts the focus away from the final artistic product — the finished performance — and towards the artistic process, for the benefit of artists, festivals, and local audiences alike.
By opening up artistic residencies and workspaces to include local citizens and audiences, we believe it is possible to create longer-lasting and more sustainable formats and relationships together.
” Day 1 | Tuesday November 26, 2024: First meeting with the others (Julian, Ella and Rosalia). Forest, deep forest, primeval forest, Mr. Jan Sovák as the head of forestry here. Interesting discussions with him about the division of our countries. He likes the forest differently than we do. He looks at us a little like UFOs who want to make a play about ecology. But he is extremely helpful, explains, shows, waits, answers. I try to tell him that for me, it is also a very questionable how to process all the essential information (and then possibly save the world:). He loves trees, they are beings and material at the same time for him. We pick mushrooms.Work in the studio in the afternoon.”
“Day 3 | Thursday November 28, 2024: Meeting with a mycologist / nature conservationist from the Zdarske vrchy Protected Landscape Area. Great lecture – confirming that mushrooms are an underappreciated part of our lives. Writing – processing information from the lecture“
From Petra Fornayovás residency diary during her first residency with Festival KoresponDance & S.E.S.T.A., Czech Republic
The artistic residencies in Helsingør in 2025 are organized in collaboration with The Culture Yard
INFO
Seven Seconds – We Are All Lichens | WORK IN PROGRESS
Wednesday 30 April – 18:30 | Krydsfeltet, Kulturværftet
Duration: 35 min. | Age: from 8 years
The artistic residencies in Helsingør are organized in collaboration with The Culture Yard
PARTNERS
Festival Imaginarius | Portugal
Festival KoresponDance | Tjekkiet
Festival Špancirfest | Kroatien
Green Streets of Europe is co-funded by the European Union
We increasingly encounter problems whose common denominator is the inability to reflect on the problem and the inability to find its solution. The key elements are time and the lack of a responsive environment.
According to research by neuroscientists, most of the time, human beings function in routine activities, or in activities that are defined by inertia and the repetition of usual patterns. The problem arises if the previous formulas cease to be functional – when the world around us changes, we need to rethink our choices. To re-evaluate.
The basic condition for this is (self) reflection. An individual is able to concentrate fully and continuously for self-reflection in an average of only 7 seconds. Then our reasoning is diverted. However, if we try to reflect on reality in dialogue, we are able to concentrate on (self) reflection for up to 60 minutes. Discussions, conversations, dialogue is not only important for gaining knowledge on the people around us, but also for a purely practical reason: to be able to concentrate on reflection.
Meanwhile, Lichens are organisms that give us a perfect picture of symbiotic existence. They are representatives of network, working in a smart and highly developed manner.
7 seconds to think -We are all lichens is inspired by this non- human way of life; We are all lichens; we need to speak and to be heard by others. Otherwise we will have to try to change our lives in poor seven seconds.
Together with local young participants in workshops, Petra Fornayová will explore, what happens, if the routines that constitute a framework for our minds are tampered with.
In this public showing, the performers create a common movement vocabulary, in interaction with the audience. Oscillating between the common and shared, solo parts in interaction with the music & text, rhythmic in 7 sec. entries, this performance examines what happens to our 7 second reflections.
GREEN STREETS OF EUROPE RESIDENCY
The Hungarian artist Dávid Somló is one of the participating artists in the European project Green Streets of Europe (2023–2025). From April 23 to May 1, 2025, he and Slovak artist Petra Fornayová will take part in a residency hosted by Helsingør Teater and PASSAGE Festival to further develop their artistic investigations.
In the Green Streets of Europe project, artists and festivals work together to rethink conventional structures for the production and international touring of performing arts works in public spaces.
Traditional touring practices carry a significant environmental cost. Green Streets of Europe therefore shifts the focus away from the final artistic product — the finished performance — and towards the artistic process, for the benefit of artists, festivals, and local audiences alike.
By opening up artistic residencies and workspaces to include local citizens and audiences, we believe it is possible to create longer-lasting and more sustainable formats and relationships together.
” Day 1 | Tuesday November 26, 2024: First meeting with the others (Julian, Ella and Rosalia). Forest, deep forest, primeval forest, Mr. Jan Sovák as the head of forestry here. Interesting discussions with him about the division of our countries. He likes the forest differently than we do. He looks at us a little like UFOs who want to make a play about ecology. But he is extremely helpful, explains, shows, waits, answers. I try to tell him that for me, it is also a very questionable how to process all the essential information (and then possibly save the world:). He loves trees, they are beings and material at the same time for him. We pick mushrooms.Work in the studio in the afternoon.”
“Day 3 | Thursday November 28, 2024: Meeting with a mycologist / nature conservationist from the Zdarske vrchy Protected Landscape Area. Great lecture – confirming that mushrooms are an underappreciated part of our lives. Writing – processing information from the lecture“
From Petra Fornayovás residency diary during her first residency with Festival KoresponDance & S.E.S.T.A., Czech Republic
The artistic residencies in Helsingør in 2025 are organized in collaboration with The Culture Yard
INFO
Seven Seconds – We Are All Lichens | WORK IN PROGRESS
Wednesday 30 April – 18:30 | Krydsfeltet, Kulturværftet
Duration: 35 min. | Age: from 8 years
The artistic residencies in Helsingør are organized in collaboration with The Culture Yard
PARTNERS
Festival Imaginarius | Portugal
Festival KoresponDance | Tjekkiet
Festival Špancirfest | Kroatien
Green Streets of Europe is co-funded by the European Union