Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Pina Bausch's Emancipated Spectator
By the way I gave a paper at the Irish Society for Theatre Research's annual conference the weekend before last, in Trinity. It was good to update my work on Pina Bausch (RIP) ,and in particular my 2002 book, published by Peter Lang, "Orientalism, Orientation, and the Nomadic Work of Pina Bausch". I'd love to present it again, with visuals, and extracts from the scripts this time (Didn't have enough time for all that in the 20 minutes allocated). Here's the abstract of the paper:
Who's Afraid of Pina Bausch?
Pina Bausch's Emancipated Spectator and ensuing Documentation Challenges.
In this paper I will explore whether the dynamic Pina Bausch set up with the spectator may have anticipated Jacques Ranciere’s notion of “The Emancipated Spectator”, and what motivated Pina Bausch to abandon the “nation-narration” in her original, script-free theatrical idiom. Using my own original scripts of Bausch’s “City pieces”, “Viktor” (1986); “Palermo Palermo” (1989); “Tanzabend 2, 1991”, and “Ein Trauerspiel” (1994), published in my PhD thesis “Orientalism, Orientation, and the Nomadic Work of Pina Bausch” (Frankfurt: Peter Lang GmbH, 2002), I propose to investigate the unique dynamic Bausch set up with her spectator. Using my original scripts, I will consider the new artistic form Bausch invented in historical context, and ask whether her new idiom was born in direct reaction to the psychology of fascism. Did Bausch’s new theatrical idiom relate to what philosopher Eric Fromm describes in The Fear of Freedom, as Fascism’s annihilation of the individual self and its utter submission to a higher power?
Might Bausch have set out to dismantle what psychologist Karl Gustav Jung described as “the herd instinct” through her new idiom? “It is only single persons…” she asserted. “There is no such thing as communal response. Each person in the public is part of a piece, and has their own relationship to it”. Bausch, whose oeuvre provided her audience with space for self-exploration, and the opportunity to initiate awareness of many ways of seeing, compared experiencing her work to the sensation of being the first to open the door on a fresh snowfall: “You feel it. It cannot be shared. And this is very important”.
Who's Afraid of Pina Bausch?
Pina Bausch's Emancipated Spectator and ensuing Documentation Challenges.
In this paper I will explore whether the dynamic Pina Bausch set up with the spectator may have anticipated Jacques Ranciere’s notion of “The Emancipated Spectator”, and what motivated Pina Bausch to abandon the “nation-narration” in her original, script-free theatrical idiom. Using my own original scripts of Bausch’s “City pieces”, “Viktor” (1986); “Palermo Palermo” (1989); “Tanzabend 2, 1991”, and “Ein Trauerspiel” (1994), published in my PhD thesis “Orientalism, Orientation, and the Nomadic Work of Pina Bausch” (Frankfurt: Peter Lang GmbH, 2002), I propose to investigate the unique dynamic Bausch set up with her spectator. Using my original scripts, I will consider the new artistic form Bausch invented in historical context, and ask whether her new idiom was born in direct reaction to the psychology of fascism. Did Bausch’s new theatrical idiom relate to what philosopher Eric Fromm describes in The Fear of Freedom, as Fascism’s annihilation of the individual self and its utter submission to a higher power?
Might Bausch have set out to dismantle what psychologist Karl Gustav Jung described as “the herd instinct” through her new idiom? “It is only single persons…” she asserted. “There is no such thing as communal response. Each person in the public is part of a piece, and has their own relationship to it”. Bausch, whose oeuvre provided her audience with space for self-exploration, and the opportunity to initiate awareness of many ways of seeing, compared experiencing her work to the sensation of being the first to open the door on a fresh snowfall: “You feel it. It cannot be shared. And this is very important”.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Audio Slideshow of Catherine Delaney: "Pile: Give or Take"
These images were taken with a humble Canon Powershot. Deliberately grainy. Aesthetically grainy. It's in keeping with the "Art Povera" theme of the exhibition, right? I love listening to Cathy sharing her thoughts and musings on her recent exhibition and her life-long relation to cloth and all its metaphors. She also threw around some names like Anya Gallacio, Christian Boltanski, and even Mary Kelly. We had quite a jaunt out to Bluebell to Liberties Recycling Centre where we were given a great welcome by the lovely people there. That's where Cathy sourced some of the clothes for her recent exhibition at Solstice Arts Centre. A big thank-you to all at Liberties for being so welcoming. And to Cathy who kindly got out of her sickbed to do this project with me (ooh I feel bad! she said I was a true documentary maker, as I took her by the chemist to get some solpadene en route to the M50...) - thanks Cathy. Just press play (above, left). Woop - my first audio slideshow! It's also up on youtube if you'd like to see a bigger version.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Lo & Behold
Inspired by Catherine Delaney's thought-provoking exhibition, "Pile: Give or Take", I was pondering recycling, when, Lo & Behold! look what I spotted on Sandymount Strand!!! Talk about a crock of gold. Excited beyond belief at my find, I reached for my camera, but I didn't have it with me. Luckily though, I did have my iphone...
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Catherine Delaney's "Pile"
just practicing... this is the amazing Solstice Arts Centre Gallery, Navan, designed by Grafton Architects. What a gorgeous space.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Caught me a Rainbow
Wait, is that jogger in the red top (see below) actually the crock of gold? ;) Or is it (as mostpeople might presume), look closely now - over in Howth?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
