Pink balaclavas

Markus Öhrn's Phobia, in Venice with the Fag Fighters
by Redazione VeNews

At the Biennale Teatro, the exaggerated and sharp style of Öhrn merges with the documentaristic perspective of Polish photographer Radziszewski. The outcome is “Phobia,” a strong criticism of gender stereotypes… while the Fag Fighters make a powerful entrance on stage.

On June 25 and 26, the Venice Theatre Biennale will present Phobia, an anarchic, subversive fantasy play on the latent, unavowed cliches of modern society. The Swedish-born, Berlin-based artist and director pairs his exuberant, clear style with the documentary-like photographic investigation of Polish photographer Karol Radziszewski to denounce the violence and the stereotypes that still exist about sexual minorities. It doesn’t end there: this show denounces feigned tolerance, superficial acceptance, and the hypocrisy of those who support gender issues only for reasons of convenience and appearance. Fag Fighters are a gay commando founded by Radziszewski in 2007. They are a fictional urban guerrilla unit that operates at the margin of traditional society, marking their territory with graffiti and committing violence, including sexual violence. They are known for their pink balaclavas. Markus Öhrn and Karol Radziszewski present at Biennale a brutal lecture on stereotypes and subversion, an ironic critique on modern society, and a critical examination of family, business, and culture.

Featured image: Phobia – Photo Maurycy Stankiewicz

52nd International Theatre Festival

Sign up to our newsletter

You will receive the Daily 2024, the official magazine of the 81 Venice Film Festival on a daily basis

I authorize the processing of my data for sending the VeneziaNews newsletters. Read the complete information here