Bernhard Wilhelm and Tim Hailand

The Olympic Coliseum

Athens, Greece 

August 2007

We attempted to shoot a video for Bernhard Wilhelm for the Athens Biennale in the Olympic Coliseum. It was a spontaneous idea we got over dinner. We realized we had a cast, crew, camera and costumes all at the ready. I have always loved the Coliseum so I suggested we shoot the Fischerspooner dance for Just Let Go in Bernhard’s clothes. Vanessa Walters did the choreography based on the sculpture The Borghese Gladiator. Terrence Koh was wearing a skirt and donkey ears. I was wearing lederhosen. Stephanie Dixon was wearing a traditional Macedonian guards uniform. Tim Hailand was wearing a see through sci-fi sports suit.

It did not go well. 

Stephanie was the first to jump the fence. She immediately punctured her foot and started bleeding profusely. She had to be lifted over the fence and carried to a taxi to the emergency room.

We tried to shoot something but we had lost our dancers and a bit of our spirit.

Soon after we all climbed the fence, a night guard showed up. He demanded that we give him our video. We all scattered.

Terrence, Bernhard and I stupidly got on a city bus. We looked insane. The night guard chased the bus down and called the cops. We went to jail for a couple of hours. Finally my Greek friend Spilios and the the director of the Biennale came and got us out at 4am.

It was stupid.