three persons sitting on planks — Adèle Essle Zeiss, Statolit, 2023 Photo: Helene Toresdotter/Moderna Museet Bildupphovsrätt 2023

Statolit – Adèle Essle Zeiss

Performance

17.2 2023 – 26.8 2023

Malmö

“Statolit” by Adèle Essle Zeiss is an installation and performance for three dancers that will be performed several times. “Statolit” is shown here as a counterpart to the exhibition “Lars Englund – Under Construction”. A dialogue across generations is established in the museum between different artists with an interest in movement and balance.

“STATOLIT” WILL BE PRESENTED AS A PERFORMANCE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES:

17 February at 19.30–20.30

18 February at 12.00–13.00 and 14.00 – 15.00

1 April at 12.00–13.00 and 14.00 – 15.00*

6 May at 12.00–13.00 and 14.00 – 15.00

3 June at 12.00–13.00 and 14.00 – 15.00*

26 August at 12.00–13.00 and 14.00 – 15.00*

*These dates we will also show a performance linked to the exhibition “Jimmy Robert — Asymmetric Grammar”.

Location: Loading Dock

Tickets: The performance is included in the admission fee. Free admission for everyone up to 19 years.

“Statolit” is an ongoing, meditative performance where you as a viewer choose how long you take part.

“Statolit” was first performed in 2018 at Galleri Mejan in Stockholm and is included in the collection of Moderna Museet. Adèle Essle Zeiss makes use of simple materials—three long wooden planks placed horizontally in the space, a sack of cement strapped to one end of each. On the other end of each plank sits a dancer whose body is balanced by the counterweight of the sack. Any little movement changes the elevation of the plank, setting it in motion. A dialogue across generations is established in the museum between different artists with an interest in movement and balance.

Adèle Essle Zeiss poses the question “Where do we perceive the border to be between movement and stillness?” She goes on to describe the work: “The dancers are assigned to sit still, but every now and then to perform a controlled, collective movement upward or downward. The planks serve as amplifiers. They enlarge small movements of the dancers’ bodies and transmit them out into the space.”

A documentation will complement the installation when the dancers are not present. The installation and documentation will be on view during the entire exhibition period.

Curator: Elisabeth Millqvist

During May and June 2023 you can see more of Adèle Essle Zeiss at Lilith Performance Studio in Malmö. More info on the organizer’s website.

About Adèle Essle Zeiss

Adèle Essle Zeiss studied to be a dancer at the Royal Swedish Ballet School and has a master’s degree in fine art from the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm. Statolit was included in the 2022 exhibition “Swedish Acquisitions: Matches” at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. In 2021, Accelerator, a Stockholm University exhibition space, showed the most comprehensive presentation to date of her performance art, and her work has also been featured by MDT, Haninge Konsthall, the Ulvhälls Hällar art park, and in Denmark at Den Frie/Dansehallerne.