Chiaroscuro
for ensemble (incl. dancers)
Performance at Dreamspace Gallery, London, 17th February 2012.
The name of this piece, "Chiaroscuro", is borrowed from the visual arts: it is an Italian term, which literally translates as light-dark, and it is a technique used in painting or photography to suggest volume, depth and modeling by accentuating tonal contrasts.
In paintings using this effect, the background is usually dark, often almost completely black, while the central object of the painting is clearly illuminated. This performance (and the video here) look similar to that: You will catch glimpses of the performers coming in and out of the light, while their surroundings remain in darkness.
This piece was performed in a completely darkened empty room (at Dreamspace Gallery), using 8 musicians and 3 dancers, who were given instructions for improvisation that involved movement, modes of behaviour and the creation of sounds.
The piece has one basic rule: Don't play in the dark!
Any performance activity, including sound, occurs only when in the spotlight.
Some audience members were randomly given torches, which they were expected to light up when the lights would go off. That way, they would cast light in the direction and object or person of their choice. If this person was one of the performers, he or she would have the option of performing while in the spotlight.
A key element of this piece is audience participation and interactivity between performers and audience. In order to achieve this, both performers and audience members were sharing the same space - there was no division between performance and audience space - and everyone was allowed to move around freely.
This way, each person, taking initiative on where to go and how long for, would be able to choose their own focal points and have their own individual experience of this performance. And, most importantly, they could shape the piece during performance, by interacting with the performers.
Performers:
Almudena Gonzalez - Flute
Wai Yee Lee - Bassoon
Andrew Gorman - Violin
Tefkros Xydas - Viola
Signe Lykke - Voice
Sapfo Pantzaki - Voice
Alexis Porfiriadis - Melodica
Andreas Papapetrou - Accordion
Artémise Ploegaerts - Dance
Elisabeth Schilling - Dance
Virginia Scudeletti - Dance
Composition/Concept: Andreas Papapetrou
Filming by Annabella Maneljuk