Gallery exhibitionists: The art of getting naked. French molecular biologist-turned-choreographer Xavier le Roy's latest project is an exhibition of the human body and movement. The audience at times become part of the show, as the performers sit and talk to them.
Warning: This story contains images depicting nudity. The purpose of the piece is to produce a situation where we do actions which transform one into other. They are conceived like a landscape, not a narrative aim to go to somewhere. It just unfolds and you are in that landscape. What I admire about Xavier is that he is breaking down barriers between dance, movement and visual arts. He is the first artist to take [performance] arts into museums and galleries.
Nudity has been part of art for thousands of years, from Egypt to Greece to the renaissance to impressionism, right through. Part of what art is about is showing the body. There is something really beautiful and gentle about moving through the space with no clothes on.
It is vulnerable but also very strong. For me the take away was watching all the bodies together, all breathing and moving together, all the limbs raised in the air together. You slow right down and it's the whole time-space continuum shift. This article contains content that is not available. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Share Copy link Facebook X formerly Twitter.
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