Forced Entertainment: Exquisite Pain
Performance
Forced Entertainment, Exquisite Pain. Photo by Hugo Glendinning. Courtesy of the artist.
Walker Art Center
725 Vineland Place
McGuire Theater
Minneapolis, MN, 55403
Jan 9 - 11, 2025
Exquisite Pain, a powerful performance that delves into love, loss and memory, is brought to life by experimental theatre company Forced Entertainment and will be presented at the Walker Art Center in January as part of the museum’s retrospective of French artist Sophie Calle.
Inspired by the works of renowned French conceptual artist Sophie Calle, Exquisite Pain unfolds as a man and a woman recount and reframe stories of heartbreak and trauma. Accompanied by striking images – a red telephone on a hotel bed, a subway station, a green Mercedes – their narratives evolve with each retelling, blurring the lines between remembering and forgetting. This introspective production invites audiences to reflect on the stories we construct to navigate life’s most painful moments.
About Forced Entertainment
Forced Entertainment is a celebrated theater ensemble based in Sheffield, who has been creating provocative and innovative performances since 1984. Known for pushing the boundaries of storytelling, the company blends experimentation with emotional depth, offering audiences a space to reflect on universal human experiences. Their collaborative approach and commitment to challenging artistic conventions have earned them international acclaim, cementing their reputation as pioneers in contemporary theater.
Exquisite Pain (presented January 9 – 11, 2025) is a related event for the Walker exhibition Sophie Calle: Overshare (October 26, 2024–January 26, 2025) and a featured presentation of Out There 2025.
In partnership with
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a renowned multidisciplinary arts institution that presents, collects, and supports the creation of groundbreaking work across the visual and performing arts, moving image, and design. Guided by the belief that art has the power to bring joy and solace and the ability to unite people through dialogue and shared experiences, the Walker engages communities through a dynamic array of exhibitions, performances, events, and initiatives. Its multiacre campus includes 65,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the state-of-the-art McGuire Theater and Walker Cinema, and ample green space that connects with the adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Garden, a partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, is one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States and home to the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Recognized for its ambitious program and growing collection of more than 15,500 works, the Walker embraces emerging art forms and amplifies the work of artists from the Twin Cities and from across the country and the globe. Its broad spectrum of offerings makes it a lively and welcoming hub for artistic expression, creative innovation, and community connection.
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