Maja Thommen’s beginnings as a performer sprang from her desire to create larger works and collaborate with more people.
This first led her toward acrobatics and explorations in the concepts of bodies in balance.
Her fascination with fire also influenced these formative years of her performance work and steered her toward experimentations with gunpowder and eventually her licence to handle and employ explosives. As a member of performance collectives Bagger and Elxt 90 she worked on cutting-edge pyrotechnic experiments utilizing gunpowder, propane, and petrol. It was this seminal period that eventually led to performances and collaborations with Berlin fire artists: Eddie Egal, Logo Lard, Hannes Jung, Bastiaan Maris and Kain Karawahn. She continues these collaborations and friendships to this day.
The year 2003 ushered M. Thommen toward an entirely new direction in her performance career as she joined the Kreuzberger gypsy band, Casino Gitano with whom she played for 9 years.
2014: | A 17 meter long animated Sea Monster, diving and emerging in the festival lake, with several fire and water effects. Off the Radar Festival, Te Arai /NZ |
2011-2012: | Tony Clifton Circus /I, technical development and show assistance for the Mission Roosevelt Spectacle
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2008: | Assistance on the fire show of Eddie Egal and Sir Henry Hot in Thrash City, Glastonbury Festival /GB |
Since 2007: | Concept and artistic direction of the mechanical spectacle A Breath Under Water
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2006: | Juweliers Messe Basel, fire installation with Hannes Jung, Eddie Egal and Udo Luckow, Basel /CH |
2005: | Assistance on the LHPO show, by Geo Homsy, Bastiaan Maris and Stock, Big Day Out Festival, Sydney /AUS |
2004: | Fire installation for the European film premiere of Troy, Berlin /D |
2003–2012: | Playing recorder with the gipsy band Casino Gitano |
2003: | Assistance on Kain Karawahns Polkappenzündfonie, Bonn /D |
2002–2004: | The pyro-acoustic show project Free Radicals |
1999–2003: | The acrobatic fire spectacle Elxt90 |
1997–2001: | Martial punk show Bagger |
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