Zoe Gudović aka Zed Zeldich Zed
STOP – From Macho to Davičo
STOP – From Macho to Davičo is more than a performance – it is a call to action, a fusion of ballet, music, masks, avatars,and drag. It is a collective force, a precise and urgent presence that challenges us to rethink resistance, identity and movement.
On stage, Zed Zeldich Zed meets Dekadenca and in his dreams, Lujo Davičo appears to remind us that fascism still reigns, and we must act. Through ballet, words, and beats, STOP challenges the notion of individuality and invites us to reflect on movement, resistance, and unity. Inspired by Lujo Davičo – an anti-fascist, progressive artist – this performance calls for a new expression of love and resistance. This performance will be created by collective forces: Master of the mask Deborah Hunt challenges Miloš Lolić, renowned for his outstanding direction of classical drama. Anastasiia Vorobiova’s avatars expand our minds, while Ah Ahilej knocks on the doors with sound. Barbi Marković and Olja Alvir weave words, sentences, and passages, reveling in this writing adventure. Andrew Champlin affirms that ballet belongs here. Dekadenca believes that she can read in German – Natürlich – and Zed Zeldich Zed would love to rest, but Maria Elisabeth Herold insists: It’s time for resistance!
As part of the STOP project, we invite you to a workshop: VR & Avatar Workshop with Anastasiia Vorobiova.
Zoe Gudović (born 1977 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia) is a lesbian artist, feminist, activist, multidisciplinary art practitioner, cultural manager and performer. She combines artistic and activist methods to challenge societal norms, focusing on body, space, sexuality and intimacy. Since 2021, she has lived and worked in Vienna.
Zed Zeldich Zed is the first Drag King from the Balkans, making his debut in 2003. Since then, he has led workshops, given lectures and performed internationally – from Belgrade and Berlin to Thailand. Now based in Vienna, he continues to challenge societal norms through performance and activism.
Others involved
Dekadenca is a cabaret drag performer from Belgrade. She was born out of the great love for stage performances and all women. She has been shaping the contemporary Balkan drag scene for over a decade, playing a key role in its development.
Đorđe Branković is a Serbian actor with 25 years of experience in film, television and theatre. He is also known as the leader of the underground band Ah Ahilej.
Anastasiia Vorobiova is a Ukraine-born new media artist and director specialising in VR and avatars. Her research-based practice merges performance, technology and cyberfeminism, exploring the relationship between human consciousness and virtual identity.
Andrew Champlin is a Bessie-nominated dancer, researcher and ballet teacher based in Berlin. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he performs and teaches internationally, collaborating with dancers, performance and visual artists. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Artistic Research at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Andrej Ostroški, born just before the end of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, is a graphic designer, performing artist, creative producer and educator based in Belgrade. They are a founding member of the art collectives Wyrd Sisters, Efemerne Konfesije and Dragoslavia.
Barbi Marković, raised in Belgrade, studied German studies in Vienna, where she has lived since 2006. She writes novels, radio plays, theater pieces, short stories and games. Her works have received numerous awards, including the Alpha Literature Prize and the Prize of the Leipzig Book Fair in 2024.
Cortina López, the Mexico City-born, Vienna-based artist, integrates illustration, costume, design, muralism and performance. Self-taught, she explores themes of gender violence, memory and resistance. Her internationally exhibited work sparks dialogue, using art as a tool for awareness and justice.
Deborah Hunt has worked as a mask maker, performer and theatre artist since 1972, creating original works across the South Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Born in New Zealand, she has been based in Puerto Rico since 1990, where she founded Maskhunt Motions, a nomadic lab for experimental object theatre.
Igor Ripak is a photographer and artist. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in 2020 and holds a BA in Dramaturgy from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. Over the past decade, he has worked as a photographer for various cultural institutions and award-winning film productions.
Karl H. Schönswetter, born in 1975 in Salzburg, lives and works in Vienna. He is a photographer, musician, DJ at Radio Orange 94.0 and active in multiple cultural and political organisations. His photography focuses on urban life and social movements.
Maria Elisabeth Herold is a Vienna-based cultural producer, curator, musician and music producer. Founder of Art Beats Production and co-founder/resident at Palais Rössl, she curates projects in art, performance and music, activating public spaces and fostering collective engagement.
Miloš Lolić is a theatre director who has worked in Munich, Berlin, Belgrade, Basel, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Bern, Düsseldorf, Klagenfurt and Vienna. He has received numerous awards, including the Nestroy Award and Borštnikovo Srečanje Award. In Vienna, he has directed at the Burgtheater, Volkstheater and Werk-X.
Mirza Kebo is a Vienna-based artist specialising in electronic music production, performance and light and sound design. With extensive practice in theatre, music, and video, he creates immersive, multisensory experiences that enhance storytelling and atmosphere.
Olja Alvir writes, researches and translates, navigating in-between spaces. Her work spans poetry, prose, essays and cultural critique. She has published the novel Kein Meer (2016) and the trilingual poetry collection Spielfeld/Špilfeld/Playground (2022) and is a wirsindlesenswert award winner.
Tayla Myree is a visual artist and independent researcher based in Vienna. Their work explores the politics of memory and identity through film, photography, prose and sound. They hold an MA in Comparative History from CEU and currently study at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.
Accessibility
studio brut is not barrier-free. The theatre space is only accessible by stairs downwards. The staircase is narrow and the steps are steep. There is no elevator and no barrier-free toilet.
Credits
Collective Ah Ahilej, Olja Alvir, Đorđe Branković, Andrew Champlin, Dekadenca, Zoe Gudović, Maria Herold, Deborah Hunt, Cortina López, Barbi Marković, Mirza Kebo, Miloš Lolić, Tayla Myree, Andrej Ostroški, Igor Ripak, Karl Schoenswetter, Anastasiia Vorobiova, Zed Zeldich Zed
A project by Zoe Gudović
A co-production of Sendeschluss/Art Beats Production and brut Wien
Funded by the City of Vienna’s Department of Cultural Affairs (MA 7)
Dates & Tickets
studio brut
Zieglergasse 25, 1070 Wien
not accessible
Info
The show on Mon, 28 April will be followed by an artist talk, Moderation: Myassa Kraitt.
The last show on Wed, 30 April will be followed by a DJ set by the STOP Collective.
Content Notes
The performance uses theatre fog.
Downloads
Abendprogramm Stop – From Macho to Davičo (PDF)
Event recommendations
Anastasiia Vorobiova
VR & Avatar Workshop
Oleg Soulimenko
Roll Over and Over and Over
Magazin
