Thinking with the body reminded me of the 2007 Venice Biennale’s Think with the senses, feel with the mind. I loved that title. I still do. Thus I enjoyed the exhibition at the Wellcome Collection, and not only for the title.
As a dancer I always use to think with my body. I would feel the emptiness of the space around me, as my body only filled a portion of it, and I felt the fullness of my own movements in relation to other bodies when I walked, sat, or simply stood there. I have always reflected I was being a little bit eccentric and naturally egocentric when thinking about myself in this way (well, basically always), however this exhibition gave the right credit to my thoughts. Those who think with the body have more power… (s)he has a greater chance. Wait! Do not misunderstand this last statement… it implies, of course, that one thinks with his/her mind as well, but the body’s importance is not a minor one. If you are able to prefer this over to your rational-self, sometimes, it helps. It actually helps a lot.
The exhibition is on show from the 19th of September and it will last until the 27th of October. You have to hurry if you are interested in giving credit to my thoughts as well (smile). The focus is the practice of choreography and the “ground-breaking collaborations across dance, film, music, visual art, technology and science” of the dancer Wayne McGregor. It is about the development of his interdisciplinary research-process on the interrelation of mind, body and movement in each of us: both dancers and not. Though, what I found interesting was not exclusively the concept behind it. The display fascinated me. Today, during my visit, I had finally seen what I have been looking for in a long time (in vain): a dynamic and multimedia exhibit, a multi-disciplinary show, an enjoyable experience and a challenging practice. The performative character of the exhibition takes shapes through videos, pictures and texts: voices and sounds also play a crucial role. Spectators are forced to participate and to become performers themselves, while experiencing the de-structured nature of choreography. If you go beyond watching, listening, and feeling in the ‘there and then’ of the exhibition space, you will end up wondering about the logic of your movement in the ‘here and now’ of your daily life. You will end up questioning yourself while thinking, truly, with your body.
Miriam La Rosa
CuratingtheContemporary (CtC) 