On Friday 22nd of July “The Fool´s Journey” is back on the road with “An Oracle for Berlin # The Initiation”...

Fools of the world!!! 

You are welcome to walk with us and the Major Arcana of Tarot, on a unique journey of the mind, body and soul. Don´t hesitate to step in and become part of “An Oracle for Berlin”, an immersive Tarot experience we all create for our wisdom and pleasure. For this opportunity our Temple of Truth will open its doors in a dream location: the underground theatre of the former small water reservoir in Prenzlauer Berg. Walking in our “Wheel of Fortune” be ready to meet the Heroes of the Unconscious in flesh and blood and be aware, the oracle is the first to ask… What do you want to know?

_About "An Oracle for Berlin":

An Oracle for Berlin is a site specific, immersive experience translating the visual language of tarot cards into contemporary performance art. The major arcana of tarot will be embodied by performers guiding the audience through the different stages of the oracle ceremony. Physical theatre, shadow puppetry, percussion, dance and interactive installations offer an artistic experience addressing all senses. Shamanic practices are incorporated as tools for accessing transcendental states.
The work is not ‘about’ an oracle, but rather functions as an oracle in itself. The piece encourages reflection on the role of prophecy in society, drawing on our shared cultural heritage to face possible futures and bring clarity to our choices today.

_About the Old Water Reservoirs:

The two water reservoirs in Prenzlauer Berg are the oldest of their kind in Berlin. Having served different purposes historically, they are currently used as artistic spaces. Their almost sacred beauty remained in mysterious darkness after shut down, until they were discovered by artists in 1994. When the forgotten underworld became accessible to the public for the first time. Since then, an agreement has existed between the Pankow Cultural Office and the Förderband Kulturinitiative e.V. for the careful, heritage-friendly, district-compatible and cultural use of the industrial monument.

The Oracle Initiation will take place this time at the small reservoir exclusively, which offers optimal conditions, both physically and symbolically, to host “An Oracle for Berlin”. The subterranean architecture provides absolute darkness, ideal to stage the shadow theatre of the Tarot. It is reminiscent of a crypt in its column and vault structure and has relatively uniform reverberation times of 4 to 6 seconds. These extraordinary acoustic conditions are meant to increase the trance effect induced by the repetitive percussive rhythms of the piece (shamanic drumming and Gongs). Symbolically water is associated with wisdom, the fluidity of emotions and the powers of blessing and cleansing, with the ability to descend to the very foundations of life. The concentric architecture, designed to allow the circulation and redistribution of water, resembles a schematised map of the cosmos, symbolising access to a source of wisdom.

_Important Information for the traveller:

Please be aware there are no toilets at the Wasserspeicher. If nature calls, please use one of the two nearby public toilets, or any of the nice bars in the neighbourhood.

The temperature inside the building varies between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. Despite the performance taking place in the midst of summer we kindly ask you to bring enough warm clothes to stay warm.

The piece is meant to work as an oracle and be experienced as a journey.
Therefore the public is meant to follow walking circuits inside the building to perceive the performance in transit, while exploring this special location. There will be no sits provided.

Believers or not, the oracle is a serious matter, for it to work your intervention is required. Before entering the space “The Magician” (Arcane I) will ask you to think of a question and pick a Tarot card as your avatar for the evening. Be aware that this is an interactive piece.

Core-shamanic methods will be used during the piece to induce a kind of collective trance by the means of sound. Sobriety, physical and mental health are advised to participate, on your own responsibility.

The entire event will be filmed in order to make the recordings available to a wider audience.
A consent form must be signed at check-in stating that the recorded material (video and sound) may be used by “The Fool´s Journey” if you appear on it yourself.

The Magician and The Fool will welcome the public at the entrance of the small water reservoir facing the Diedenhofer Straße. The Oracle begins at the doors by choosing your card, and entering the space on your own. Therefore we ask you to be there at least 15 minutes earlier to help us make this process fluid as water. Knowledge in the field of Oracles,Tarot or Core-shamanism is welcome but is not required to take part on the performance.

_About The Fool´s Journey Project: 

“The Fool´s Journey” is an intercultural performance art project, inspired by the vision to create a piece that is and works as an oracle based on Tarot. As an ongoing project, it consists of a series of experimental performances and sub-projects including happenings and oracular actions, theatre and performance pieces.

It´s name refers to the archetypal journey of self-awareness the fool makes through the major arcana of tarot until s*he becomes one with the world. The artist Leonor Beuter followed the path of The Fool herself. She left Argentina in 2013 to come to Germany to assemble the intercultural performance art collective with various members of different origins and disciplines.

The Journey must go on… after two years of lockdowns the Fool´s Journey is back on the road. “An Oracle for Berlin #The Initiation” it's meant to be the first of a performance series to take place at the old water reservoirs. The first step of a longer journey, the foundational stone of the oracle. The ceremony is in itself an open call not only to the Tarot archetypes but also to you, to the people from Berlin, which in a way is to say from the whole world, in order to make the oracle possible. An oracle is done for and by the collective, therefore your participation is crucial. don't forget that this is an experiment. If you are a creative being and the experience resonates with you, you are very welcome to contact us and join the team for future performances.