Movement Mediations
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*mediation as in to mediate the relationship between the viewer and the artwork, not “meditate” as in a Bhuddist meditation
(a meditation would also be great though)
Galleries started as a place to sell art – to come in, look around, and make your pick. Things changed, and now selling isn’t the sole function of a gallery (often it isn’t at all). Art galleries have become public spaces for discovering art, learning, reflecting, spending time, and more.
So, perhaps, the social norms of walking quietly, standing in front of the pieces and reading the description don’t have to be the only mode of engagement.
I like to think that a gallery can be a space for not just engaging with art intellectually, visually and analytically, but for being in the world created by artists and curators, for enlivening it with a creative process of your own; I like to imagine that the artist’s generous offering is an invitation into a personal exploration, in which the whole body and imagination can be involved.
I’m interested in how we can be in the whole space with our whole bodies, how we can absorb through the skin, how we can play with the modes of attention that open up sensory pathways of perception vaster, more imaginative and nuanced than cerebral analysis alone can offer.
Let’s experiment with inviting an erotics of art in place of hermeneutics [intellectual interpretation].
What Participants Say
“The opportunity to work with Anastasia in Arnolfini’s gallery was a real gift. She held the space beautifully and gave thoughtful consideration to different movement based tasks in each of the gallery spaces. An imaginative workshop where we were given the confidence to dance boldly amongst visitors to the exhibition.”
“It was a really welcome exploration that challenged me in all the right ways. My favourite part was responding to the paintings with movement, exploring and mimicking the lines and shapes with my body. It gave me a new angle on the creative process that is actually a really useful way of informing my own work.”
"The workshop has really opened my mind to think differently about art, especially when visiting galleries. I found the freedom that we enjoyed in our movements very liberating. As a result, I saw a lot more from the artwork than I would normally".
"Encouraged me to think differently about the way I view gallery spaces and how I respond to the artwork within them. Also felt like a safe and comfortable setting to express opinions without judgement [..] I was able to lose myself in the movement and enjoy the exhibition even more".
"When I came to see the exhibition for the first time, I enjoyed the whole work, but this time through the workshop I saw it in a different view. It was more connected to me. The environment, the sound, paintings and everything are more inspirational for me"