Manchester International Festival

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Manchester International Festival: Matthew Barney , Jonathan Bepler

Since 2007, American artist Matthew Barney and composer Jonathan Bepler have been developing a diverse series of multi-disciplinary, site-specific projects loosely based on Norman Mailer’s 1983 novel Ancient Evenings. The first of them was The Guardian of the Veil, a startling performance that premièred in Manchester as part of live group show Il Tempo del Postino (MIF07).

For River of Fundament, Barney and Bepler are collaborating to produce a sevenpart film project that will continue to draw upon the thematic undercurrents of Mailer’s novel. Set in pre-Christian Egypt, Ancient Evenings elaborately chronicles the seven stages of the soul’s departure from the deceased body as it passes from death to rebirth in accordance with Egyptian mythology. River of Fundament will combine the traditions of narrative cinema with elements of live performance, sculpture and opera.

This event will give Manchester audiences an exclusive preview of excerpts of River of Fundament, along with a chance to hear Barney and Bepler discuss both the project and their collaborative process. MIF is working with the artists to present River of Fundament at opera houses and theatres internationally from 2014 onwards.

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