PLAYGROUND DETROIT Presents: Laura Quattrocchi and her installation entitled, Disposable Fashion  at  Michigan F.A.S.H. Fest.  Co-curated with Spread Art, Laura has been selected to participate in the Spread Art residency program. The installation and performance take place on September 7th, 2013 at 1274 Library Street in Detroit, MI [11am-7pm]. At 5pm, she will perform Environmental Investigation in collaboration with Shua Group.

Born in Italy, Quattrocchi moved to NYC in 1995 to study contemporary dance. In 1998, she met Joshua Bisset, and together they founded Shua Group  to develop their performance work together.  Their work creates movement based artworks which encourage deep listening, human exchange, and spatial and perceptual transformation.  Her work themes are mainly connected to waste, divisions, gentrification, pollution, alienation and loneliness. She first visited Detroit during a “rust belt” road trip last winter with her collaborator who is originally from Michigan. During that trip she met Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos of Spread Art who have inspired her to return. She explains,

I am excited to show and connect my work to the energy of Detroit, a city charged with such an interesting past and future. I love the fascinating history, the open future, and the raw, underground energy of Detroit; it feels like a perfect place for creativity. I see the flourishing of small businesses and micro-economies that exist outside the global capitalist models here.”

Laura Quattrocchi’s focus is the practice of movement and observation of human patterns. She explains, that it “is a bridge in which humans can open themselves and see the world in different way, not with sight but their kinesthetic sense.” The everyday materials she uses to assemble costumes in her performance work connect them to our daily lives; it is an extension of her interest in the observation of human patterns.  The belief that movement is a common denominator for the human race, bringing compassion and empathy can unite us all as one.  The power of touch is the most powerful we have to connect to each other.

On her installation, Disposable Fashion:

Disposable materials are used in this installation because I am interested in materials and structures that are not seen in our life as valuable. I don’t have formal training in fashion and I am not interested in it;  I am self-taught.  I develop costumes knowing that eventually I will understand or see the right place for their use.  I consider the fashion industry a product of modern times.  Clothing used to be custom-made and worn until it was not repairable.  Instead, the fashion industry produces disposable fashion with clothing that is mass-produced, mostly in sweatshops which are intended to be thrown away after few months. After spending many years working in the NYC catering industry,  I observed the extreme excess in which we live; at the end of each event I would walk around and see what was left behind by the kitchen staff and guests.  Everything would eventually end up in the trash, which is where I found the box of latex gloves.”

On her performance, Environmental Investigation:

The performance is the alter ego of Disposable Fashion:  it is a site-specific dance developed originally in a polluted area in Jersey City, NJ, which is now under the State of NJ environmental investigation.  The site has received attention because it is next in line for predator developers; meanwhile it’s been turned into a skate park by local kids. The latex glove costumes found their home at this site, the dance was developed using other disposable junk found on-site, mostly plastic bottles. The contrast of beautiful women, disposable costumes and the trash-filled yet watched public site became Environmental Investigation.”

Do not miss these opportunities to see more of Laura Quattrocchi’s work this September in Michigan! 

Soft Wall, from September 19th, 7:00pm through September 22nd, 6:00pm

Soft Wall is an audience interactive performance created by Shua Group in collaboration with visual artist Sylvestre Gobart (Brussels). Soft Wall is driven by a silent proposition to the audience which creates/facilitates the performance and radically transforms the visual space. As the performance unfolds the identity of performer and spectator a
re questioned, roles shift, and the watchers become the watched. Soft Wall is adapted to each city/locale it is realized based on cultural contexts. The performance is followed by a visual installation, which is in part created by the action.

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Special thanks to College of Creative Studies and Spread Art for their support.

Spread Art’s residency program is based in Southwest Detroit. Innovative artists across all artistic mediums are supported with housing, work space, and exhibition opportunities. Residencies vary from two weeks to two months or more. Visiting artists are connected with Detroit’s creative community through residency dinners, artist talks, and teaching opportunities for youth and adults.

The post PD PRESENTS: LAURA QUATTROCCHI INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE AT MICHIGAN F.A.S.H. FEST appeared first on PLAYGROUND DETROIT.