Endgame Assembly

In Endgame Assembly (working title) spectators gather in the theatre in order to experience the end.

Endgame Assembly (working title) intends to critically engage and take a stance on prevailing discourses around ecology and identity. The discussions about climate change and mass extinction and the promise of the apocalypse they generate have been prominent in Western academic and artistic circles for at least two decades, permeating mainstream cultural productions. Examples include films as Melancholia (Lars von Trier, 2011), all the work of Roland Emmerich, and more recently the Netflix productions Dont Look Up (2021) and Leave the World Behind (2023). These narratives often emerge from relatively secure spaces, presenting a somewhat unified and romanticized vision of (future) endings. Other cultures denounce this privileged position and affirm that colonization and its aftermath have already constituted apocalyptic events for indigenous and colonized peoples. Reasons are the destruction of indigenous cultures, ecological degradation, inequalities and social injustices that represented a total devastation of their worlds. These voices emphasize that they are already living in a post-apocalyptic reality, denouncing the Western-centric narratives that may not fully capture the lived experiences of diverse communities.

Endgame Assembly (working title) starts from these different perspectives on the apocalypse. Rather than simply reconfirming this dichotomy, however, it attempts to reflect upon and produce new ways to bridge the gap and look for the possibility of a shared hope.