The MCA performance, which I had assumed was commissioned by the MCA, but I have come to find out is actually a pre-existing work, perhaps I should read more before these things, but I like to be surprised, can probably be summarized by one of the songs performed within it, entitled “What’s the point?”
But just like that song, though you may ponder that very question during some the songs and even during parts of the whole performance, if you stop there, then indeed what is the point? But if you dig deeper, I think there is much to enjoy here. And indeed the evening featured one of my favorite movement phrases I have ever seen.
The rest is a little on the banal side, but in all earnestness, I’m pretty sure banality is part of the point indeed. The basis of this performance is ballet’s five basic positions. Martin pairs each one with one note, and we go form there.
As martin points out, only two of the positions allow you to move sideways, and three of them sort of allow front/back movement. Hmm how do you make a performance out of that? We soon find out. Not to mention cacti, some awesome noise making bandmates, and some very amusing live edited/mixed nsfw background videos. Well only two of them were nsfw, the rest featured things like the alphabet. or the numbers 1 to 100.
I’m sure Martin was more interested in simplicity, than banality, but the line is so thin. Not sure it matters, both can get you into a trance like state. If you let the simplicity wash over you, if you appreciate the humor of it, and the dancers and musicians earnest performance of it, then you really can get something from it.
museum of contemporary art
chicago
You may have seen the giant rotating “mothers” outside the MCA Chicago, here’s a great little interview with Creed about that piece, but also a great little window into the mind that is Martin Creed:
this page is so info-shallow, I just had to link to it:
http://dance.about.com/od/stepsandmoves/ss/Ballet_Five.htm