P06
The realm of the monstrous in this project is inspired by Lois Jessup's account of a fictional-factual encounter with humanoid life forms in a Maltese Neolithic burial site (The Hypogeum) and the site's shapeshifting via deterioration through humidity, light damage, CO2, and other environmental factors. As far as humans are concerned, these attributes lead to deterioration, but the unearthing of sites means also that lichen, mould, and other living microorganisms have new space within which to grow.
The perspective of underground spaces as shelter is based on my numerous experiences in bomb shelters in Ukraine in 2022. In the shelter, like in the Hypogeum, one can encounter physical and metaphorical non-humans from other realms, whether they are animals who made it their home or mutated fictional/factual lifeforms that we fear. Even though one is pressed by a possible missile strike to reach the shelter as soon as possible, the foreboding of entering the more-than-human realm remains. After some time in the underground site, a person might feel like they themselves have mutated or transformed. Without human adapting reconstruction of the space, the underground stays a place of a possible encounter between the humans and more-than-human realm.
This performance, its CGI world and avatars were created by visual artist and PhD candidate Letta Shtohryn at the Goldsmiths Mocap Streamer residency. It stands as a collaboration involving dancers: Bekka Heathcote (UK), Florinda Camilleri (MT), and Lena Wolfe (NYC). Through the usage of motion capture suits, their live performances are transformed into projected avatars, streaming in real-time.
The culmination of this live remote MoCap dance performance occurred in November 2022, shown to audiences both at Goldsmiths (LDN) and online as during the residency's showcase event.