The Time We Share

The Time We Share is a book that examines a wide range of critical perspectives on two decades of performing arts. The authors look closely at performing arts pieces from around the world to see what critiques and insights they reveal about society. Among the topics that these works address are the dialogue between history and memory, the development of a sense of community, the interplay between fiction and reality, and the fine line between a spectator and a witness. In addition to images of the performances, the book includes texts by the artists themselves, sketches, photographs and writings by prominent figures in the fields of philosophy and sociology. In assembling these materials, this book attempts to build a global overview of the relationship between performing arts and society.

The Time We Share is published to coincide with the 20th edition of the Brussels Kunstenfestivaldesarts, a major arts festival featuring international creative talent. Still, more than an instrument of memory, the book is conceived as an atlas through which the past opens itself towards the future, like every map that invites us to imagine journeys to come, while telling us the story of those who traced a route to accomplish its creation.

Have a look at the first 30 pages from the book here.

Under the direction of Daniel Blanga-Gubbay et Lars Kwakkenbos. With contributions of Antonia Baehr, Brett Bailey, Jérôme Bel, Daniel Blanga-Gubbay, Pieter De Buysser, Romeo Castellucci, Boris Charmatz, Bojana Cvejic, Jeannine Dath, Antoine Defoort, Piersandra Di Matteo, David Engels, Tim Etchells, Edit Kaldor, Amir Reza Koohestani, Lars Kwakkenbos, Joseph Kusendila, Joris Lacoste, Isabelle Launay, Maurizio Lazzarato, André Lepecki, Frie Leysen, Thomas F. Madden, Chantal Mouffe, Dominique Mout, Reza Negarestani, Jeroen Peeters, Mariano Pensotti, Dan Perjovschi, Jean-Louis Perrier, Milo Rau, Claude Régy, Rimini Protokoll, Anna Rispoli, Walid Sadek, Árpád Schilling, Gerald Siegmund, Christophe Slagmuylder, Isabelle Stengers, Pieter T’Jonck and Sarah Vanhee.

“A performance is a time shared between people. History, too, is a time shared between people.”