ARTISTIC STATEMENT
As humanity faces the consequences of the Anthropocene, threats to our climate and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity have never been more pronounced. The ocean is a poem.
PROTEUS is an imagined cosmology. Two dancers represent the last of humanity, evoking self-reflection and contemplation. Are we bearing witness to our demise or a future prophecy?
PROTEUS, the Greek mythological figure, serves as Shepherd of the seas and protector of all bodies of water. He represents the transformative properties of water in all forms – from the morning mist, to the devastating beauty of the storm, to our innate capacity for change.
A poem for water is a circular dance installation that stems from architectural poetics, embracing the recurring patterns of our universe – from the microscopic to the cosmic – where the folds of space and time can best be understood through visceral emotion. It is within this liminality where the poetry of PROTEUS lives.
In revealing the invisible, the poem comes to life. The musical composition gives voice to the ocean, integrating metadata of rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and deoxygenation. Modulated lighting breathes in real-time with the bio-rhythmics of the dancers. Media and dance choreography provide a canvas, upon which to project our fears, hope and reverie. In this sliver of time, we may find a reconciliation between humans and nature, a harmony that could elicit empathy and inspire action.