Producers Contingency Plan and The Moberly Arts And Cultural Centre (MACC) showcase what can happen when artistic minds meet to create new ways of expressing the human condition. Taking place June 1 and 2 at the intimate Studio Theatre in The Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre, six groups of artists, curated by Laura Barron and Vanessa Goodman, show the fruits of their labour.
Dancer/choreographer Edmond Kilpatrick discussed his work with visual artist Christopher Rodrigues on their collaboration entitled "Building Orchids".
"Christopher has been a friend of mine for a while," shared Kilpatrick. "And this piece started with a conversation about where we are in our careers."
"I'm coming into a new phase where I'm not a 20-year-old dancer anymore," the 40-year-old former Ballet BC member said. "My process is different as I'm dancing and creating differently.
The spark for the metaphor of orchids began with Rodrigues' interest in resurrecting orchid bulbs into new plants. Having worked in a flower shop, customers would return their orchid plants once the flower had died. Rodrigues would take the bulbs and nurture a new flower to life, making an art practice out of it.
Kilpatrick explained Rodrigues' artistic process: "He starts with samples of photos and then reduces them to basic colours and textures and then draws with it digitally. He makes a whole bunch and then layers one on top of the other.
"For this piece, I wanted to explore the layers using the metaphor of the orchid. Once the new bloom starts to come, you are in a new place," shared Kilpatrick.
Karen Jamieson, long time Vancouver choreographer/dancer, was brought on to mentor the process, a valuable resource for an artist looking at longevity in his field.
The other artists in the program includes the Something Collective, the Artists-in-Residence of the MACC, including puppet theatre artist Maggie Winston; visual artist Juliana Bedoya, flutist and writer Laura Barron; contemporary artist Natalie Gan; and media artist Flick Harrison.
Bellydancer Naomi Joy Gallagher and spoken word artist Julie Peters collaborate to create a new piece that explores feminity, power, fear and shame.l
Krystal Psota and stART Dance present "Constructing Chaos", a new contemporary dance piece.
Cellist Ariel Barnes and video artist Simon Wilkos entwine the music of J.S. Bach with 21st century composer Ana Sokolovic while offering visual re-interpretations of Bach's original inspirations.
Choreographer Cheryl Prophet and visual artist Andrea Kahre explore a dramatic and extremely physical exploration of two men and their struggle for power and survival.
Tickets are at the door $15. Doors open at 7:00 for an 8:00 show. For more information please call 604-718-6521 or visit moberlyartsculturalcentre.blogspot.com.