They say a star begins to die when its balance fades and its hydrogen supply is empty. When that happens, it slowly degenerates until – depending on its size – it either violently explodes or its heart collapses. For this piece, French and Swiss choreographer Maud Blandel associates the astrophysics phenomenon of pulsars to the tragic sound memory of the explosion of her father’s heart. By translating physics principles like rotation, gravity, and periodicity, The Naked Eye mobilizes six dancers and transforms the cloister of the Chartreuse cemetery in Villeneuve-lez-Avignon into an observation spot. What do we really see faced with a degenerating body (be it a star, a human body or a collective body) ? More than an autobiographical account, Blandel plays with questions of scale, tragedy and transforms memory into images – showcasing how it persists, as well as its loops and blanks, its shadows and sparks of creativity.
-
© Margaux Vendassi & Camille D. Tonnerre -
© Margaux Vendassi & Camille D. Tonnerre -
© Margaux Vendassi & Camille D. Tonnerre -
© Elie Gappe
I L K A - Maud Blandel
THE NAKED EYE
With the Festival d’Avignon
Choreography and staging Maud Blandel
Dancers Karine Dahouindji, Maya Masse, Tilouna Morel, Ana Teresa Pereira, Romane Peytavin, Simon Ramseier
Sound Flavio Virzì, Denis Rollet, Maud Blandel
Lighting Daniel Demont
Lighting assistant Florian Bach
Sound tech Denis Rollet
External perspective Anna-Marija Adomaityle
Production and diffusion Parallèle – Pratiques artistiques émergentes internationales, Marseille
Administration Alexandra Nivon
Production I LK A
Co-production Arsenic Centre d’art scénique contemporain – Lausanne, Pavillon ADC – Genèveet La Bâtie – Festival de Genève, Centre chorégraphique national de Caen en Normandie, dans le cadre de l’Accueil-studio/Ministère de la Culture, Cndc – Angers dans le cadre de l’Accueil Studio
With the support of l’État de Vaud, la Ville de Lausanne, Loterie Romande, Pro Helvetia – Fondation Suisse pour la culture, Fondation Ernst Göhner, Pour-cent culturel Migros I L K A company has a trust fellowship with the city of Lausanne (2021-2024).