A Year Without a Summer engages with themes from the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. Taking into account the historical circumstances in which the work was created, natural events such as volcanic eruptions, the echoes of the industrial revolutions from then until today, as well as the formation and breakdown of relationships and connections, the choreographers worked on a hyperproduction of material from three different perspectives. The Frankenstein-like method of combining these materials makes the seams visible, rendering each performance different.
By questioning failure in the context of artistic and scientific work, practices, and conditions, and by using dance and other media, the piece addresses the imperfection of people and ideas, and the inconsistency inherent in every decision. It explores the relationship between creator and creation, and the longing for virtue/progress that leads to misfortune or punishment.
Created within the framework of the Frankenstein project, the performance—within the context of artistic production—is dedicated to problematizing ideas such as persistence, consistency, and the yearning to satisfy needs. Imperfection, as a space for strategy, a space for decision-making and for taking initiative unburdened by the mandatory validation of success, is precisely the space in which the artists gathered around this project exist and work.
