Saturday 3 November 2007

Xiamen -End of the Red Path - Deire an Chosain



Maybe it was the last time for Bernadette and I to experience our connection through the Cosán Dearg material but if it was, it was a joyful and creative valediction. The performance in Xiamen happened in the studios of local artist (and police commissioner), ???. The space, an old cigar factory, covers a vast area, much of it full of ??? work – large sculptures and installations that suggest something of a sci-fi movie set. But there is still plenty of space to move in.



Lu Ming, the curator and organiser in Xiamen, had asked the participating artists to perform simultanaeously around the space. Bernadette and I chose, as we had in Hangzhou, to allow the work to travel around the space repeating our encounters over three hours, performing our solos when we lost each other, always knowing that we would meet again. This process allowed us to explore the work with an audience in the way we have always done in the studio and the way we imagined we could at the end of each single performance at the beginning of this journey in Project Arts Centre.

I was moved when I would discover Bernadette around a corner, focused, in her mind and in her body – dancing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Fearghus,

I have spent the last half hour or so bringing myself up to speed with the work from China, the videos and text. It has really been a pleasure to see more of your work, and your collaboration with Bernadette. I'd love to have experienced it in the space itself... it's interesting for me to see how your precise and articulate verbal language is echoed in your bodily movements.

RE: bodies and buildings, meant to mention the work of Eve Dent to you: http://www.axisweb.org/seCVFU.aspx?ARTISTID=9406 it's not movement- based, more like inserting herself physically into the building over a period of time. Quite compelling I think though with different concerns/ background to your own practice.

Sarah