Where: Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
Chunky Move, renowned for their innovative synergy of both dance and other art forms comes together in yet another work embracing visual magnitude and movement. “Connected”, a collaboration involving five dancers and a moving sculpture created by Reuben Margolin explore the echoing magnitude of movement with agile ease.
Margolin, an American kinetic sculptor, most commonly works with the forms created by nature’s undulating movements in an “attempt to combine the logic of mathematics with the sensuousness of nature” using materials such as wood, recycled plastic, paper and steel to create a weightless and energy.
In “Connected”, a mammoth sculpture, build on stage in real time, gradually develops to overarch, emphasize and caress five dancers (Harriet Ritchie, Stephanie Lake, Marnie Palomares, Alisdair Macindoe and Joseph Simons) as they continue to develop more complex relationships among themselves. The ability to represent visually the intensity that builds between the pairs is an interesting and compelling act. Controlled by hundreds of strings and a great wheel, not unlike a weaver’s loom, the strings not only dictate the dancer’s actions, they mimic, echo and distort them. Whether the dancers move because of this structure, or independent on it, it remains a presence on the stage that poignantly captures human movement.
The second half of the piece develops a much more clinical tone. Distancing quite suddenly from undulating movements, Lake begins to speak of her experiences as a museum guard. Seemingly bland at first, the stories of the five characters (now dressed in suits) forms a complex connection regarding how the audience perceives and tries to act around installation art. The complete turn-around from the dance is halting, and at the time I didn’t enjoy this change, but conceptually this dichotomy remained understandably connected. Is posed an interesting concept within this piece, quintessentially Gideon Obarzanek (artistic director/choreographer) suggesting we have a defined opinion about art, and in particular, installation art in gallery spaces. Until this point in the piece, Margolin’s sculpture had taken on a life of it’s own – so would we perceive it as something beyond a gallery space installation? Is there now a bridge between sculpture and humanized movement?
When the dance, stillness and partner work dictated the space, I found this work to possess a great depth of beauty and artistry. The image on stage was compelling, drawing you in with a liquid eye to develop a sense of closeness. The second half of the piece, though my sensory enjoyment lessened, I exited the theatre with a greater issue to contemplate.
Overall, the integrity and development of the dance had me hooked. It was a work I felt compelled into, connected to and influenced by. I appreciate that this work of Chunky Move’s is more organic, moving away from highly technological works. But that’s just what I enjoy.
For those who are interested, here is an interesting article regarding Margolin’s sculptures: http://www.realtimearts.net/feature/Dance_Massive_2011/10200