Karl Van Welden

MARS II – in situ is a musical performance unfolding under a slow but relentless rain of volcanic ash. A pianist plays, unprotected, as particles begin to fall, first softly, then steadily intensifying. What starts as a quiet concert becomes a fragile confrontation with an elemental force. The ash interferes with sound, body, and image, transforming the performance into a live study of resistance and surrender. MARS II is a poetic reflection on how the threat of catastrophe shapes our thoughts and actions. In a world obsessed with risk, each apocalyptic scenario becomes both a call to vigilance and a secular reminder of our mortality.