We Are The Aliens

Which bodies have no room in our society? In “Cosmic Bodies” Ursina Tossi uses the figure of the alien as a vehicle to explore current body concepts. In doing so, she turns inner worlds of one’s own body inside out and ventures into cosmic spheres in order to turn outer space and inner space back into each other. “Cosmic Bodies” experiments with bodily extensions and new body parts, speculating what “human bodies” can be, even in the future. In revealing these other, alien bodies the performance is demonstrating how diverse bodies in our society are measured against traditional ideas and images. “Cosmic Bodies“ turns accustomed viewing habits upside down, and the only supposed self-evidence of seeing is unmasked, as audio description becomes an artistic means of expression that also includes blind and visually impaired viewers into the performance. After all, how does the body come into contact with other – unfamiliar – bodies? How can the terrestrial and the extraterrestrial be connected? (fk)