Patrons: Tobias Dörflinger, Lia Falkson, Sandro Faltin, Ida Fischer, Ben Frenzel, Ida Gütermann, Jana Hoffmann, Celine Imhof, Josefine Imhof, Paula Knieriemen, Marla Malter, Liann Meyer, Lucie Moosmann, Maximilian Motsch, Alex Müller, Nele Peter, Mats Renner, Felix Schneiders, Arjen Schulz, Paul Schwarz, Alina Seidel, Mona Lisa Stauffer, Linus Wannemacher

Commission: The situations in the world scare us – war, terror, racism everywhere. We want something that gives us and others peace, hope and security.

Mediator: Hannah Mevis

Artist: Reut Shemesh

Duration: 2024 ongoing

Program: Citizen-Commissioned Dance and Performance

Partner: Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation)

In the municipality of Gersheim on the Franco-German border, pupils at the secondary school have questions about the future. They follow what is happening in the world with great seriousness. Escalating political conflicts and the possibility of a third world war, as well as local crises such as the devastating floods of 2024, are concrete concerns that they voice. There is a fear of growing up in a world that may already be lost.

“Things that are currently scaring us: Wars, in Ukraine for example, the political climate in the USA, terror and racism – also in Germany, the global shifts due to climate change.”

The New Patrons of Gersheim

Accompanied by mediator Hannah Mevis and teacher Lisa Arauz, 23 pupils* developed a commission as the New Patrons of Gersheim and signed it in December 2024. They want to commission a work of art that will give themselves and others peace, hope and security.

In discussions with the mediator and teacher, it quickly becomes clear that the commissioners, aged between 11 and 12, also want to find new cohesion within the group. Some of them travel long distances to get to their school. Spontaneous appointments outside of class are difficult. They would therefore like to be actively involved in the creation of the artwork and thus become part of a community project.

“Solidarity and respect are particularly important to us. We also want to have fun working together, because fun brings lightness to a group.”

The New Patrons of Gersheim

How do the patrons want to collaborate best for their commission? They came to a clear agreement on this right at the start. In an intensive phase with weekly meetings in fall and winter of 2024, they defined and illustrated the principles and values for their collaboration, but also for the development of the artwork. The commission was also formulated on this basis.

It is also important to the patrons that the location should be their school and that some of the artwork should remain there permanently. And: it should be a work of art for everyone that makes one think about how to live together in peace.

As a next step, mediator Hannah Mevis is now looking for a suitable artist and proposing them to the group. In future workshops and activities, the patrons also want to strengthen their courage and confidence in their own abilities, engage with contemporary art and increase their sense of community. 

For the artistic realization of their commission, the patrons group accepted mediator Hannah Mevis‘ proposal and invited Reut Shemesh. The choreographer brings powerful imagery and emotion to the stage, marked by a high level of energy—qualities that immediately captivated the pupils. Shemesh works across disciplines, combining dance, experimental film, and photography. Her multimedia approach and frequent use of video in her pieces align well with the interests of the patrons group.

Under the umbrella term “Uniforms”, Reut Shemehs's work is centered on themes of gender and portraits. She approaches identity as a story we tell ourselves and within which, ultimately, one can find traces of various identities within oneself, reenact them, dance them, embody them, celebrate them. She translates questions of belonging, exclusion, identity, and power structures into explosive, striking scenes that, despite their serious topics, always convey resilience, strenghth and agency. Her artistic practice thus resonates deeply with the issues that also concern the pupils in Gersheim.

“By reenacting and embodying the visuality of a specific dress code, body language, or dance style, I comment on and flirt with prejudices and clichés. However, ultimately, I'm interested in the person who stands in front of me, authentic and bare of all decorations as much as possible – if such a state can even exist.”

Reut Shemesh

Shemesh brings experience in working with young people –for instance, in her widely noted piece ULTRA, commissioned by fABULEUS, Belgium, exploring masculinity and group dynamics – and aims to create choreographic "containers" for her collaborators, shaping dance moves that reflect and empower their personalities while aligning with her aesthetic language. In her choreographies, contemporary dance stands side by side with movement practices from youth culture and folklore. 

Her work has been presented at renowned institutions in Germany and internationally, including TanzPlattform Germany, HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste in Dresden, Kampnagel Hamburg, Brunx theatre in Brussels, and the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv. Shemesh has been a factory artist at tanzhaus nrw Dusseldorf and received numerous awards, including the Cologne Dance and Theater Prize. In addition to her artistic practice, she teaches at several universities.

In a next step, Reut Shemesh will develop an artistic concept for the commission.