Dragan Živadinov's Zero-Gravity Theatre

This paper aims to discuss the idea of creating a zero-gravity theatre, pioneered by Dragan Živadinov, Slovenian conceptual artist. In order do so, author turns Russian philosophical (N. Fyodorov, K. Tsiolkovsky, A Chizhevsky) and artistic sources (K. Malevich), as well space exploration envisioned scientist Herman Potocnik Noordung, who influenced Živadinov's cosmokinetic art. Resisting legacy cosmists supremacists, Živadinov designs his objectless antimimetic theatre with void actor, freed from weight expected be replaced technical substitute, which emits actor’s memory near-equatorial orbit. article examines foundations post-gravity are based on three algorithms digital actor: biological (recording body coordinates), biographical professional biography), biomechatronic genetic structure). These will controlled “umbot” both stage in after death actors. The focuses Biomechanics Noordung production, performed stratosphere board an IL‑76 MDK aircraft. Due sudden free-fall moments, performers experienced state weightlessness, interpreted rehearsal for future liberation gravity. conditions made it possible create dozen modes actors could perform levitation, was perceived unique abstract theatrical performance. Combining Meyerhold’s theory biomechanics, conceived 1920s system exercises body, Noordung’s research gravity ways overcome it, represented drawings rotating station, realised theatricalising cosmos. With this performance, shows that work art can become truly only if triumphs over gravity, i. e. loses its gravitational orientation (up, down, left, right) manifests itself zero