When Barbara Sackl came to Mexico 15 years ago, it was due to an invitation from an Austrian anthropologist for a trip to Chiapas — a trip that ultimately didn’t pan out.
“I never, ever planned to work here,” she says with a smile.
But the actress, singer, dancer, director, producer and teacher soon immersed herself in a variety of artistic projects that complemented her strong interest in indigenous cultures — a series of full-length documentaries about the Wixarirtari [Huichol] people in remote parts of Jalisco, a Shakespeare theater project in the notoriously violent Mexico City neighborhood of Ixtapalapa, and more. Over the years, she has also made frequent trips to Europe and the United States, where she writes and stages solo productions.
Although Sackl’s work base for the past seven years has been a rented house in Guadalajara’s Colonia Providencia, she considers Vienna her official home. However, she is dedicated to the freelance artist’s life with its attendant gypsy-style wandering and economic instability.
“In some ways, I’m living a dangerous life. It’s a tightrope. I do my work whether there is money or a market for it. That’s how I live. I hope I can continue,” she said, adding that worldwide economic uncertainty and the growth of an Internet mentality has made the arts environment tighter than ever in recent years and that some institutions, such as television stations and schools, which would have paid her in the past, now expect artists to donate work in exchange for publicity or clicks on the Internet.But “my movies are real movies,” she protests. “They’re not something I do walking by. Sometimes they involve years of work and they have scientific and anthropological value.” Sackl notes that artistic education in Vienna, where she attended a conservatory, is very broad and that she originally wanted to be a physicist and still maintains an interest in the sciences.
This points to the fact that Sackl’s focus takes in more than living dangerously. She adheres to what she terms a holistic approach that includes spirituality, environmentalism and more. This has led her to work, for example, for peace in the Middle East.
Her holistic approach means that trying to classify her throws some people for a loop.
“I talked to someone about a solar oven I made for my house and he said, ‘Are you from a congregation?’ The idea is that if you were a real artist, you’d have better things to do.”
Sackl left Guadalajara this week for a brief trip to Los Angeles. “I have a script for an environmental children’s movie in German and English,” she said. “I’m looking for investors, sponsors, producers. A New York director read it and said it’s not just for children — it’s for everyone who loves the earth, although it’s from the perspective of a 10-year-old boy. I have another project about Tibetan medicine. I’ve been looking for support for that for over a year. I’m going to try to produce it with crowd funding.”
After Sackl returns, she is set to begin June 26 teaching an acting class at Guadalajara’s CAAV (Universidad de Medios Audiovisuales), where she has taught in the past. In July, her movies will be shown at CAAV’s screening room. For the exact date and time, check Facebook: “Cine alternativo – Guadalajara” or contact Sackl T This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CAAV (Universidad de Medios Audiovisuales), Lerdo de Tejada 2043 1/2 block west of Chapultepec, (33) 3898-5312, 3587-7824/25, www.caav.mx, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Course runs June 26 to August 28, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 8:45 p.m. Cost: 2,400 pesos for 76 hours.