Tractor Rapsodie

On the land of wannabe-farmer Louis Vanhaverbeke, the line between agriculture and performance becomes indistinct. In Tractor Rapsodie, the artist reconnects with the earth after a period of mental turmoil, finding comfort in manual labour and the rhythms of the soil. Sowing, harvesting and composting are gestures that make time tangible once again.

Through songs, actions and machines, a vulnerable self-portrait emerges, striking a balance between the mind and the deep earth; between 'acting normal' and stubbornly continuing to deviate. What begins as an attempt to re-ground oneself evolves into a reflection on labour, healing and the desire to follow one's own unique rhythm. Agricultural machinery appears on stage as antagonists; their sound and movement set the pace, shattering the romanticised image of the countryside.

Tractor Rapsodie is a raw ode to slowness, in which grounding is a necessary physical process instead of an abstract concept. In a cycle of loss and new beginnings, this performance invites the audience to move in time with the earth, where history, labour, and life are constantly intertwined.