Regina José Galindo

In 2019, the world premiere of El Gran Retorno took place in Guatemala City with professional musicians under the direction of feminist performance artist Regina José Galindo. The work alludes to Guatemala’s past military dictatorship, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. At the same time, it can be read as a portent for the increasing armed conflicts around the world and now reaching far into Europe. At donaufestival, Regina José Galindo will lead a large Austrian marching band down through Krems’ pedestrian zone. However, in contrast to the colourful uniforms or traditional costumes that such band members wear at festivities, they will be dressed in black, like at a funeral, and they will not be marching, but slowly moving backwards. Using the simplest of means, this image is a powerful expression of the current remilitarisation and repatriotisation in the world, reviving the very real fear of war that many in Europe believed was a thing of the past.