COMPLEXION


Images aimed for in different kinds of dance
/Obrazy poszukiwane w różnych rodzajach tańca/
Agata Kirol, Gazeta Wyborcza Trójmiasto, 19-20 May 2007

Klub Żak presented "Complexion": a new solo by Katarzyna Chmielewska. In keeping with a good tradition of Dada von Bzdülöw Theatre, she proved again that contemporary dance may be truly interesting. "Complexion" is a diffuse performance imbued with monotonous images of a woman clad in changing poses, situations, moods and life stories. However, I would put it in just a few words, if the original means of expression, dance sequences, or a fine display of emotions hadn’t left a strong and lasting impression on me. There’s the Sun as a source of life-giving energy, and a body is facing it. When we see her first, she’s reclining on a colourful patchwork which is taking up centre stage. (…)
Chmielewska, as she promised before, in this work, in cooperation with a Japanese artist Chiharu Mamiya, allowed for a wide cultural diversity. In a dance rich in signs and gestures of everyday life, we can recognize dance techniques of the Far East, elements of Butoh philosophy, some African roots, and as always in Chmielewska’s work, a well-turned drill of classical dance. The highest professionalism of the artist clearly towers above some less interesting moments. The associations with everyday life are brought to mind with Wojtek Mazolewski’s music. The ethnical and onomatopoeic sounds such as subway swishing through the air, or screeching to a halt, or the sounds of shovelling, fuse together into some highly energetic jazz. That’s a brilliant material for a new record. Katarzyna Chmielewska with her solo piece “Complexion” remains in keeping with a tradition of Dada von Bzdülöw’s performances which are interesting and coming upon fresh means of dance expression.


Jadwiga Majewska, Didaskalia, 79-80, June-August, 2007

There’s a square carpet in the centre of an empty stage, a little bit upstage. A wide range of colours, patterns, fabrics and textures intricately arranged in a unique design is covering a neat square of floor space. Like a traditional American patchwork quilt (…) that covers the most intimate space - the bed: a place of birth, love, desire, suffering, illness, dreaming and finally death. (…)
”Complexion” by Katarzyna Chmielewska (co-choreographed with a Japanese artist Chiharu Mamiya) from the very beginning appears to be very feminine, delicate, sensuous. After the birth, she starts to learn the world, discover it and gain experience. This simple and obvious metaphor translates into some micro-actions - the dancer limits the space for movement into the colourful square and its edges. Slowly, with a child’s curiosity, she scrutinises the textures of the matter. Gently, with her feet, she’s feeling its diversity, dissimilarity: the cool smoothness of satin, the safe warmth of flannel, the surprising softness of fur, into which she delves with pleasure. She’s cuddling it, smoothing down, ruffling, joyfully fondling it. But that won’t do for her. (…)
A long sequence of phrases follows, in which the artist proves not only her dancing, but also acting skills, especially the comic ones. Her body learns to laugh, also at itself, and experiences the trembling (meta-, or only physical?), the feeling of pain or joy. Deliberately, she flaunts her physical beauty, just one step from pride especially that she’s clad in a peacock pattern. (…)
Chmielewska draws inspiration from different cultures, telling a story of finding home, a story with a rainbow of innermost worlds, and a similarity of human fate, no matter what skin colour. Because as the show goes on, the colourful patchwork translates into a message - the lot, doom, a life-story - create a unique, individual pattern of fate. (…)
And then, sitting in all that mess, made up of the remnants of a past glory, she pulls out a silvery matter, and puts it around her head, like a peasant woman puts a headscarf, like an old woman, like an Arab woman, like a Jewish woman in a synagogue, like a Christian woman in church. Later on she comes across a patterned quilt (a bed again?), which if put on the head, gives her dignity, turns her into a kind of bride, queen, mother – the Madonna. Putting on the new layers turns into some unchanging and unavoidable ritual… the Marriage to the Death? The matter being put on weighs her down, like the years passing by, and she seems to be getting lost with it. Slowly, she is bending down, leaning, curling up, until she somehow unites with the matter. Is she still there, wrapped inside the self made cocoon?
[source: Didaskalia, 79-80, June-August, 2007; text: Jadwiga Majewska; translation: Michał Jankowski]