The 13th Pillar: August 31st, 1997, 12:20AM, Paris is a piece for 7 performers which reenacts a fatal car crash which happened in Paris, France in 1997 through a rigged game of roller derby (a contact sport on roller skates) with rules altered to closely match the conditions of the original crash. Though unfairly rigged against the jammer/Mercedes, the outcome is decided through gameplay and not pre-determined. The crash in question took place in Pont de l’Alma tunnel along the Seine in Paris which is comprised of 31 support pillars with the initial impact on pillar 13. The performance takes place in a  large raw warehouse space with the ciruit built around 31 support pillars. Meant to be repeated indefinitely, suspense is built through the possibility of a reparative and longed-for alternative outcome of survival.

With Salpi Apkarian, Zoe ‘Sweet Pea’ Butler, d Naim, Caroline “Kiss My *” Nikolakakis,Seraphina Violet Cueller, and Hannah Barco.

Photos by Gonzalo Guzman