Santiago: Chilean Company Silencio Blanco Premieres New Work «Elephant Head» at GAM

Original article: Santiago: Compañía chilena Silencio Blanco estrena su nueva obra «Cabeza de Elefante» en el GAM

After completing an international creative residency in Norway, the company Silencio Blanco arrives in Chile to present its new work «Elephant Head,» marking its national premiere.

The event is scheduled for April 9 at the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM), with performances continuing until April 26.

The creation was developed during a 7-week artistic residency at Figurteatret i Nordland (Nordland Visual Theatre) in Stamsund, Lofoten Islands, Norway, which is one of the key centers for the production and dissemination of visual theater and animation in the Scandinavian country.

This process culminated in its international premiere in February of this year, followed by performances in various European cities.

Inspired by a true story, «Elephant Head» portrays a man grappling with a disease that progressively affects his memory, serving as a deep and delicate metaphor for memory and forgetfulness.

Drawing on the ancient figure of the elephant—an animal associated with infinite memory—the play explores what happens when remembering is no longer possible: what is lost, what remains, and who we are when our memories begin to fade.

From Collective Memory to Individual Memory

In this new creation, Silencio Blanco deepens the scenic research line that has characterized its trajectory, shifting the focus from collective memory to individual memory.

Through manipulation of puppets, a sensitive visual poetics, and a wordless scenic language, the play invites the audience to journey through the intimate experience of a man who forgets, raising questions about loss, care, and the fragility of memory in the contemporary world.

“After focusing on particular and universal characters, on vanishing Chilean occupations or unnoticed tragedies, it feels tremendously challenging to delve this time into individual memory and, from there, to speak about existence,” noted Dominga Gutiérrez, the creative producer of the company.

«Elephant Head» presented by Silencio Blanco is a co-production with Figurteatret (Nordland Visual Theatre), GAM, and HetLab Hasselt (Belgium), and is part of Silencio Blanco’s Management Plan 2025-2027 / Established Companies, funded by the National Fund for the Promotion and Development of the Scenic Arts, Call 2025, from the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage.

El Ciudadano