Sand, sizzle, and splash at PIFA 2016

A fiery labyrinth will soon be kindled, and a paper forest will grow. Acrobats will tiptoe across giant balls of yarn, puppeteers will interpret poetry, and public fountains will be played like drums. All of this will happen in Philadelphia between April 8 and 23, and much of it is free, as the 2016 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) comes into bloom.

A dizzying performance menu offers something for every artistic taste, says Jay Wahl, artistic director for PIFA and Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which produces the biannual festival. This year’s theme is We Are What We Make. “A century ago Philadelphia was known as the Workshop of the World,” Wahl notes, “and today we want to know more about who makes the things we buy, or grows our food. We say who we are by what we make.” That’s especially true when the product is art.

Local and international artists team in Philly

Wahl crossed the world to evaluate potential acts. “We’re planning events for three-year-olds and 93-year-olds,” he says. “It’s not discipline-specific — we have circus, sculpture, music, dance, theater — 60 performances in all, four world premieres, and two U.S. premieres.”

Which is not to say PIFA lacks local representation. From home-grown presenters that include PHILADANCO, the Clay Studio, Mural Arts, and Jazz Bridge, to its organizational and logistical architecture, the festival relies on cooperation among arts groups and venues across the region. “All of the organizations work together, and I can’t imagine that happening anywhere else,” says Wahl.

Meeting the American public (with snorkels)

Article 13, a walk-through labryrinth that’s part installation, part performance — kicks PIFA off. Four years in the planning, it’s a collaboration of France’s Compagnie Carabosse, who are described as fire alchemists, and Mexican theater troupe Teatro Linea de Sombra. Incorporating fire, sand, water, video, performers, and visitors, it will unfold on the Delaware waterfront. Like many PIFA presentations, it’s big, a characteristic Wahl favors, “I like scale, using space in big and exciting ways, and making people look at places differently.”

Another French group, Aquacoustique, will make its American premiere performing Concerto in Sea Major in fountains across the city. Wielding instruments made from snorkels, watering cans, and diving flippers, three musicians in scuba suits will wade into waist-deep water and conjure the sound of flutes, saxophones, and the splashiest drum kit ever.

“We are very honored to take part in this great festival, and we are looking forward to meet[ing] the American public,” says Jean-Philippe Carde, Aquacoustique’s creator and artistic director. With a repertoire inspired by traditional and ethnic music, Carde anticipates that Philadelphia audiences will “get a smile on their face and be surprised.”

Risking a textile explosion

Wahl’s favorite part of PIFA is people-watching: “I look forward to seeing how the audiences connect the different events. I hope each person sees at least three performances. If you see only one, you can’t make connections.”

And what worries Wahl about unleashing a plethora of never-before-seen performances in unexpected places from morning to night for sixteen days straight? “All of it! That’s part of the excitement! Art without risk doesn’t tell us anything about where we’re going. I mean, we’re going to yarnbomb the Kimmel! We don’t know how that’s going to turn out!”

The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts runs April 8-23, 2016 at locations throughout the city. Things kick off with an opening gala on April 6, and finish on April 23 with the PIFA street fair taking over nine blocks of Broad Street. A full festival schedule and ticket packages are available online or by calling 215-893-1999.

At right: Members of Aquacoustique put on a watery show. Photo by P@tou Shooting.