Performing with Degas at The National Gallery
Paintings are doorways to other worlds. Degas explored this by depicting multiple spaces in his paintings, allowing the viewer to look at several spaces simultaneously.
I am creating a performance for The National Gallery inspired by the mysterious atmosphere of Degas’ painting – Hélène Rouart in her Father’s Study. A girl stands in her father’s study, behind his huge chair, surrounded by objects brought from far away lands. She has a distant look in her eyes and gazes out beyond the painting. Behind her are textiles from China, images of Italy, and the shadows of Egyptian statues. Degas plays with scale and space, so that the viewer is unsure what they are looking at – is it a mirror, a doorway into another room, a reflection, or a corridor?
My performance is called ‘Inside the Girl inside the Study‘ . It imagines Hélène’s dreams and desires, and wonders what Degas was trying to portray? The performance will explore loss and longing, and how objects have a life of their own. It will include stories from China and Europe, and the ancient Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris. I have been greatly helped by the art historian, Werner Hofmann’s subtle and generous book Degas: A Dialogue of Difference.
It really is a privilege to create a performance for this fabulous painting. Come and plunge with me into Degas’ suggestive space!
Inside the girl inside the study
Thursday 21 July, 2011
The National Gallery 1.00 – 2.00pm
Admission free, but places limited.
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