Response Art with Dance Performance

Dates of exhibition: May 27 through June 4, 2016

Location: Arts Unity Movement, San Mateo, California

Earlier this year I had a unique opportunity to attend a dance performance by NewGround Theatre Dance Company and create response art during the performance. It was my first time creating during a live performance and I loved it! I ended up making twelve sketches using various water-based media and ink pen. The title of the performance was “Expressions of ONE”, and included ensemble pieces as well as solo dances by each of the members of the company.

For the exhibition, I selected ten of the sketches, each 9 inches by 12 inches, to present as an installation representing the experience of being present during the various dancer’s solo and ensemble performances. I immersed myself in the lighting, music, and movements of the dancers and rapidly created each piece in response to the unique mood created by all of these sensory inputs.

Here is photo of my installation:

My installation of ten sketches, matted and mounted with clips on wire.
My installation of ten sketches, matted and mounted with clips on wire.

Detail of installation pieces:

Text of Artist Statement for the exhibition:

Dr. Lisa Chu
Half Moon Bay, California

“Trust In This Moment”
Series of ten works on paper – pen, pencil, watercolor

I chose to share the sketches I completed during Expressions of ONE in their raw form, in order to capture the experience of trusting in the present moment. To me, there is a unique beauty of spontaneity that happens when we allow ourselves to trust what flows from being fully present. I created all of these works during the live performance in February. I moved quickly from one sheet of paper to the next, from one set of media to the next, in response to being fully present with the lighting, the mood of the music, and the movements of the dancers in front of me. My hope is that the experience of this group of works, experienced as one work, will give you a taste, on paper, of what it was like for my artist self to witness the dancers’ expressions that night.

Artist website: http://wildtomatoarts.com

Photos of entire exhibition, including all artists’ contributions:

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