What defines a city? Is it possible to dance critical urban theory? In this video, produced in 2005 for the exhibition “shrinking cities” in GfzK Leipzig, conceptual artist Christoph Schäfer, author of “The City is Our Factory”, dives into the secret life of shopping malls and post-modern train stations and arcades to uncover the invisble asian cities within the city of Leipzig. In a lengthy monologue dressed up as a dialogue, the artist unfolds the theory of Henri Lefebvre and Walter Benjamin – in a rugged way. Deliciously shot by Deborah Schamoni in the Dong Xuan Center, a shopping arcade, in the new underground arcade in Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, and next to an Asian Fast Food stand, this Video was made for the exhibition “shrinking cities” in 2005, and it contains Music by Bernadette Hengst and Cybermohalla, produced in the context of the Cybermohalla vist to Hamburg, organised by Park Fiction and Hajusom!, in 2005.

The Video is part of a bigger installation, that was shown in the shrinking cities exhibitions in Detroit, New York City, Duisburg, GfzK Leipzig and at MAP – Markus Ambach Projekte, Düsseldorf.

#1 Casino: Thanks to Casino Petersbogen

#2 Dong Xuan Center: Thank you! By stopping our filming, you proved that what Leipzig needs, is in fact, grey zones without surveillance by state, art or media.

#3 Hoang’s Bistro: Thanks to Hoang’s Bistro in Leipzig Hauptbahnhof. Music with kind permission by the artist: Bernadette La Hengst; excerpt of: Meeting Cybermohalla, La Beat, Trikont/Ritchie Records, 2005

#4 Vietnam Restaurant: Actors Christoph Schäfer and Stefan Hoehne, thanks to Vietnam Restaurant, Petersbogen, Leipzig

#5 Asia Imbiss: Thanks to Asia Imbiss, Leipzig, Kathleen Liebold, Stefan Hoehne and all dancers. Music bought from Orquesta Perez Prado at the grave of Perez Prado, close by, but not in “La Rotunda de Los Hombres Illustres”, in a funeral ground of Mexico City, 2004.

Idea, Concept, Directed by Christoph Schäfer, Camera Deborah Schamoni; Produced for Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig Exhibition shrinking cities 2, 2005; General thanks to Barbara Steiner, Kathleen Liebold and Stefan Hoehne; all rights reserved,