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‘The Uncle Hans-Peter Party’

Richard Squires (using pseudonym ‘Let Me Feel Your Finger First’)

The Uncle Hans-Peter Party is a live artwork incorporating masquerade, animation and participatory performance. The total duration of the piece, including two 10-minute intervals, is approximately 1 hour.

The artist was invited by Paul Gravett, Director of Comica Festival (London International Comics Festival) to premiere the work at the ICA on 17 November 2009. ‘The Uncle Hans-Peter Party’ draws upon Squires’ investigation of stereotypical representations in cartoons and animations; and collective events involving masquerade and play-acting. Uncle Hans-Peter is presented as a resident of the dark corners of picturesque Heidi-esque landscapes, and intentionally plays upon the stereotype of the Bavarian male. The notion of play-acting and scaring which is central to the work is found in European festivals such as the Catalonian ‘Patum’ of Berga.

Upon entering the performance space, each guest dons an Uncle Hans-Peter mask, taking on the persona of the protagonist. Presented in three parts, the work includes narrated audio and animation sequences, where the animated protagonist addresses the audience on the nature of the reproducible artwork and the imaginary subject. Following each address, he asks the audience to perform a specific collective action.

The incorporation of three specific components - masquerade, animation and participatory performance – was designed to test the limits of audience engagement based upon collusion with, and/or, interrogation of the character through an unusual, unsettling hybrid artwork. The associated publication ‘Das Familienoberhaupt’ included a critical text by Esther Leslie (Professor of Political Aesthetics, Birkbeck University, London).

The work subsequently toured to animation & film festival Flatpack [Birmingham, 24 March 2010]; arts & music festival Supernormal, [Oxfordshire, 21 August 2010]; experimental theatre festival Sprint [Camden People’s Theatre, London, 4 & 25 March 2011].

The first performance was Critics Choice in Time Out (12-18 November 2009) and Editors Pick on Flavorpill (November 2009).