DANCING WITH THE DEAD

Khadim Ali, Soojin Chang, Dr. Fiona Foley, Dr. Mojgan Habibi, Pieter Hugo, Lindy Lee, Pierre Mukeba, Sarker Protick, Stanislava Pinchuk, Jemima Wyman

Presented in partnership with the Lock-Up, Newcastle

June 20 – August 31, 2020

Named after the infamous Madagascan/Malagasy ritual of Famadihana, Dancing with the Dead presents ten National and International contemporary artists whose narratives illuminate the convergence of memory and corporeality within a larger constellation of death and its surrounding multitudes — physical death, spiritual death or cultural death.

The traditional Madagascan process sees families and loves exhuming bodies from tombs, carefully re-wrapping, then lovingly dancing with their corpses. Dancing with the Dead takes this context as a point of discussion to give light to the intersection of death, society, intimacy and culture; and to furthermore approach death with a stronger sense of nuance, allowing the potential to view aspects of dying, regeneration and endings as transgressive metaphors. It is sombre, yes — but it is also transformative, let us re-imagine death.

Dancing with the Dead presents a timely and deeply meaningful proposition for sharing in a communal and cathartic activity, that shines light on the paradoxically unique and universal experiences of death and endings. Each artist in this exhibition brings a specific layer, texture and approach to this collective dance.

Image 1:
Jemima Wyman Aggregate Icon (Black and White), Digital photo collage, 190cm, 2020. Commissioned by Antidote Projects, 2020. Courtesy of the Artist and Sullivan + Strumpf. Full caption details here.

Image 2:
Soojin Chang
Death Ritual (Shown in the Mirror), 2-channel video and sound, 21min. 2019 

Image 3:
Stanislava Pinchuk
The Red Carpet (4-9), Oil pigment, gouache & fine mesh press on paper, 103 x 153 cm each, 2020

Image 4:
Lindy Lee
Unencumbered, 2019. Flung bronze sculpture, 120cm diameter. Courtesy of the Artist and Sullivan & Strumpf

Image 5:
Khadim Ali
Untitled 6 from Fragmented Memories series, 2017-18. Cotton and nylon thread and ink on fabric, 223.5 x 163 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane