There is highly concentrated history flowing in Vienna’s bars, much of it originating in Europe’s colonial history. But who pays attention to their drink’s history while enjoying it? In Volume 2 of von Colonial Cocktail – SPIRITS –, using performance and narration, Stefanie Sourial and Hyo Lee reveal the colonial ties associated with spirit-based beverages and the effects they have on our current society. How did today’s trending drinks come into existence? How do spirits influence our lives? Why is it political to drink alcohol?

         Complex colonial issues, addressed in the intimate setting of a bar and mixed with a history of violence in diverse shots from older and more recent vintages, will unfold a bittersweet bouquet. The traces of history Stefanie Sourial and Hyo Lee will show us using examples of ever-present alcohol will result in unexpected discoveries in our immediate surroundings.

Stefanie Sourial works as a performance artist in Vienna and teaches performance art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Her performance work is anti-racist and queer and combines historical and political narratives, always with a focus on the political. Her own creations include the solo performance FREAK (2014/15), the performance trilogy Colonial Cocktail (since 2019), the multimedia performance City of Diaspora (2021/22) and her next stage project, New Endings (2023).

         Hyo Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea. She lives and works in Vienna. Their artistic practice is performance-oriented and collaborative, with an inherent focus on a queer diasporic identity. Hyo Lee has an MA title in photography at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and is currently studying in its ‘PhD in Practice’ programme.