Whilst at GlogauAir, I would like to prototype and develop ‘Groundwork’, an interactive installation involving a suspended ceiling, lowered down to 1m, waist height. By altering our everyday vertical experience of space, Groundwork will invite audiences to question our relationship with the earth, hierarchy, our sense of weight, safety, roots and connection.
During my first month at GlogauAir, I aim to develop and build a suitable and safe version of this installation so that audiences can be invited to explore moving and interacting beneath the ceiling. The first month will thus be dedicated to prototyping and working out the technical details and materials required. I envision communicating with an architectural partner, Mathew Birch, in this process and I would greatly value technical support from GlogauAIR.
During the second month, I would like to collaborate with an invited group of dancers to explore moving beneath it. I imagine working with a group of 3-5 dancers, and Contact Improvisers already based in Berlin, and with whom I have established relationships. With this group I aim to develop a performance, or performances, in response to the installation. These performances may take place in the space itself or outside of the installation, as I expect we further explore moving and performing at ground level in different outdoor spaces. I will document and film our experiments and performances. I am interested to make my work accessible to people of all ages including disabled people and my hope is to offer an alternative way for audiences to engage with Groundwork, without getting underneath the ceiling.
During my third month, I would like to refine the elements of my work that it will be finally exhibited. This may involve refining performance work, editing film, and any other visual or written responses to the work. It could also involve constructing a final version of the installation. In essence this work aims to invite questions about our roots and relationship to the earth and has been inspired by my movement research and practice based in Snowdonia, North Wales. I am very excited to bring these questions to the city of Berlin and see what evolves as I re-site and develop my work here.