THE SYMPOIESIS PERFORMANCE
Seeking to convey not only the ocean’s state of peril but its innate beauty in the collection too, Van Herpen draws upon the freeform movement of Loie Fuller to embody the full spectrum of its forms, from its wild tidal power to its amorphous organisms .
The pioneering muse and dancer, who van Herpen has long been inspired by as a trained dancer herself, embraced the unpredictability of fabric in motion, shrouding herself in silk and using bamboo wands to expand the improvised phantasmal shapes she drew with her body.
“She seems to be in dialogue with the forces of nature in her performances. In my eyes she was an alchemist of movement, light, and fabric, with which she merged dance into sculpture.”
- Iris van Herpen
As the show opens with a performance created in collaboration with light artist Nick Verstand, Fuller’s moves are thrown into the future as near-invisible Japanese airfabric becomes a light painting.
As if she is leaving her solid body, the voluminous phantom silhouettes radiate organic patterns of light that are activated by the movements of the dancer in real time.
“The dancer becomes morphogenic and more-than-human, seeming to shimmer in and out of perception, often being swallowed entirely into this bioluminescent creature,” says Van Herpen. “The show opening is an emotionally charged performance on how we have drained the life out of our oceans. It is a call for protection.”
"Our bodies feel solid, but in reality we are made of atoms that are more than 99.9% empty space, held together by electromagnetic forces. I wanted the performer to embody a morphogenic presence, to shimmer at the edge of perception, suspended through the unseen forces that bind us."
- Iris van Herpen
The testing days of the Sympoiesis performance
Among the most inspiring days of the collection process were the testing days of the Sympoiesis performance.
Over five days, we experimented tirelessly in the studio with light artist Nick Verstand to explore the unpredictability of fabric and light.
Music and Videography: Ryan McDaniels
Light Artist: Nick Verstand
Dancer: Madoka Kariya
Choreographer: Wubkje Kuindersma