Yans & Reto

Inspired by the social atmosphere of porno cinemas and in the tradition of cabaret, YANS & RETO is a one-night festival of action art by artists over sixty and under thirty as well as Spanish artists of all ages. The artists present themselves through short (under seven minute) performance or video pieces, creating energetic, inter-generational encounters.

Beyond putting together two generations and inserting Spanish art into the court of American’s art, the festival simply wants to bring artists together. The visible part of this Project is the festival itself, but much more happens previous to the evening of performances. Once an artist registers, the communal work begins: artists couple with other artists (an old and a young partner, eg), performances are adapted, videos and films are edited, sound tracks are created, and then the various elements are choreographed into a whole. The festival is a unique event whose participants form a collective.

This year the festival wants to reflect the social aspects of porno cinemas. Sex creates a community in public and commercial spaces. In his book, Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, author Samuel Delaney, portrays porno cinemas as places for encountering (as opposed to networking). In a world where everything is filtered, marketed and mediated, the reality of: “first unzip me, do me, and then we can talk about our lives” is much appreciated.