i met up with my friend ayse recently to talk about doing some more work together, and this got me reminiscing about our previous collaborations. so i thought i’d share some documents of this.
when i first contacted ayse, it was after coming across some of her performances around the theme of migration. her dance moves reminded me of energy practices like qi gong or tai chi and there was a definite vibe that i could relate to. very quickly, we found out that we had some common interests and that our practice of mindfulness, meditation as approach and creative output was highly compatible.
so merging the themes of our respective work, we spontaneously and very rapidly took this experimental work to the public.
the first instance, particularly, was visually stunning.
the communication during the performance, listening and close connection really worked.
and i was really amazed by the resulting painting created by ayse’s moves across the canvas.
the contents and ideas behind this project really work together on such an essential level, with the movement leaving a visible mark as metaphor for the deeply transforming experience of migrating to another country and culture.
the sounds, at times harsh and jarring, at time lyrical, converse closely with the other layers on the work. gradually, i started to introduce repetitive patterns played over time using circular breathing and this helped introduce a rhythm and pace for the movements, and allowed us to get deeper into the zone.
we had several practice sessions since then, and the underlying understanding and spiritual connection is of course very present.
this is something rather rare. and i am very keen on continuing this collaboration, whatever form it may take.
ayse has been writing about our project on her blog. check out her comments here.
below are a couple of videos taken of our performances. the recording is a bit rough, but still a good document of the very beginning of this collaboration.
nexttime studio 