Absence
Absence is a performance by choreographer Kati Raatikainen, in which she explores the embodiment of personal experiences through the themes of absence and inaccessibility, particularly reflecting them in her relationship with her partner dog, Kara.
The materials for the piece have emerged from observations made during the shared journey of humans and dogs. The work can be understood as a form of co-thinking, created through the dog's presence, aiming toward understanding and empathy for unfamiliar bodies and experiences.
Raatikainen is interested in the interactive nature of embodiment, intertwined histories, the evolution of the body as its manifestation, and the questions surrounding "co-development."
In Absence, alongside proximity and similarity, the piece also deconstructs what it feels like to fail in encounters, to be unreachable, to be left alone, to be different as an animal.
Raatikainen performs alone, carrying with her the absence of Kara, who is missing from the performance.
Working group:
Choreography and performance: Kati Raatikainen
Influencer: Kara (dog)
Sound design: Markku Essel and Kati Raatikainen
Light and spatial design mentoring: Milla Martikainen
Supported by Taike and the City of Helsinki
Review from the Critical Animal Studies Network:
https://www.elaimiksi.fi/2024/11/11/ajatuksia-poissaolo-esityksesta-ja-koirien-kanssa-tyoskentelysta/
Photos: Soile Voima
Absence is a performance by choreographer Kati Raatikainen, in which she explores the embodiment of personal experiences through the themes of absence and inaccessibility, particularly reflecting them in her relationship with her partner dog, Kara.
The materials for the piece have emerged from observations made during the shared journey of humans and dogs. The work can be understood as a form of co-thinking, created through the dog's presence, aiming toward understanding and empathy for unfamiliar bodies and experiences.
Raatikainen is interested in the interactive nature of embodiment, intertwined histories, the evolution of the body as its manifestation, and the questions surrounding "co-development."
In Absence, alongside proximity and similarity, the piece also deconstructs what it feels like to fail in encounters, to be unreachable, to be left alone, to be different as an animal.
Raatikainen performs alone, carrying with her the absence of Kara, who is missing from the performance.
Working group:
Choreography and performance: Kati Raatikainen
Influencer: Kara (dog)
Sound design: Markku Essel and Kati Raatikainen
Light and spatial design mentoring: Milla Martikainen
Supported by Taike and the City of Helsinki
Review from the Critical Animal Studies Network:
https://www.elaimiksi.fi/2024/11/11/ajatuksia-poissaolo-esityksesta-ja-koirien-kanssa-tyoskentelysta/
Photos: Soile Voima