On The Brink, 2020
The Soylent Spot, Brisbane
Performance-installation
For almost an hour the protagonist scoops up large embryos of various creature (they all look virtually the same) with toy trucks, one by one dumping them off the edge of the three story high building. Returning is little death and transformation into a creature, head buried in the truck, only to be 'reborn' and start the process over in increasingly manic distress. Time stands still through the process as the performer takes the audience through a intense web of contrasting emotions, from what appears to be absurd childlike play, pulls into frightening menace as if something is forcing the action to take place to their horror, while smiling either in an attempt to appease the audience, or accuse them of the matter at hand, both literally and metaphorically.
This matter refers to the colonial, industrial complex and the destruction of human and non-human life. Inspired particularly by my extended time spent at Deebing Creek Mission, an indigenous protest camp just outside of Ipswich, QLD. As well as other protest camp earlier in life, like Florentine Valley, Tasmania. Where bodies come between trucks and scared sites and ancient forests rich in bio-diversity.
When there are no embryos left, the protagonist pulls off the high-vis gear as if its their own skin. The music, created by Moscos, cuts into white noise as two Caper white Butterflies emerge (life size puppets). Looking for an optimistic turn, the dance is passed onto audience members (El Pantaleon is given butterflies as they have trained with me and are also a hard working political environmental activist). The idea. was to create a sense that community can turn things around.
