MACHO MACHO is a physical performance art piece about masculinity. An idea, produced and directed by Igor Vrebac performed by Anton van der Sluis & Jurriën Remkes. The Bosnian-Dutch artist Igor Vrebac (1986) draws inspiration from Instagram after workout selfies, Turkish wrestling and the idea of bromance.
Macho Macho holds the mirror back to society and questions the world and the rise of the objectified men’s body we are experiencing today. All you have to do is venture into Instagram’s explore page and you will be ambushed with sufficient #BodyGoals, #ThirstTraps selfies. The interwebs show that men have never been eager to take off their clothes and ‘self-document’ their barely dressed bodies, their neither region strategically hidden with emojis or any other object of choice, like they have in the past few years and still at it today.
The new man and the subculture categories they find themselves in, from metrosexual, to lumbersexual, to spornosexual and so forth. Seem to have a healthy sense of self and if you ‘The Bod’ then your social currency spikes up.
Vrebac’s piece investigates what’s behind those Calvin Klein six packs? As an audience member, it is visually tiring to watch because of the physical power it requires but absolutely satisfactory in the end.
Vrebac’s piece investigates what’s behind those Calvin Klein six packs? What does a billboard with beer drinking bearded giants on it tell us? When can a man show his vulnerable side? Macho Macho is a duet between two young men coached by Maarten Lok trying to represent male beauty. They try to look good, be sexy and stay strong, but the competition that arises, brings them closer to each other and their emotions.
The performance choreography is repetitive and seems monotonous but later on through the show you appreciate the physical strength it must require to keep doing the same thing repetitively for 55minutes seamlessly. As an audience member, it is visually tiring to watch because of the physical power it requires but absolutely satisfactory in the end. No wonder the play was the winner of the Dioraphte ‘Best of Amsterdam Fringe 2016’ award.
Watch a clip from the show here: https://youtu.be/l1LTXSYvFc4 on According To Jerri YouTube Channel. Subscribe to the channel so you never miss a thing!
