BullKnot

BULL + KNOT

BULL + KNOT

When conceiving of the Bull and Knot installation we first researched the symbolic nature of each and began by brain storming our interpretations of each.

From the first meeting between the three of us we had established that we wish to provoke the Bull in the participants. Finding the form and frame in which to achieve that went through many interpretations and iterations of interpretations.

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

Bulls have been known in western culture as aggressive, powerful forces of nature for many years. Yet in eastern traditions they have been synonymous with fertility, and divine blessings for centuries. We as a group have understood this animal through its power and shear dominance. No matter through which cultural lens one views this animal, its primal quality remains to be its absolute power and persistence. Knot for us represented a complicated problem to be solved from an intellectual standpoint. It also represented tension and the struggle for achieving results.

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

BULL + KNOT

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

BULL + KNOT

By pulling and pushing the heavy box, the aim was to make the participant feel like a bull: aggressive, powerful, and persistent. The tension in the rope and the act of solving the problem of moving the box was the knot.

As runners of this performance installation we wanted to eliminate any emotion from our interaction with the audience. Dressing in a “uniform� and adding a mesh mask were elements that visually made the three of us appear as one emotionless unit. We aimed for a very direct, ordered means of communication with the audience as well. Our tone was meant to also irritate, intimidate and in general add to the frustration and annoyance that a bull feels which makes it such a force of nature. In addition, the red incorporated in our outfit was to allude to the role matadors play in bull fighting and bull dancing/ leaping. To follow through with the bull fighting theme, we were the curators of this frustrating dance which was as pointless as one can imagine carrying a heavy box of bricks would be. Except of course non of our bulls were murdered!

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

BULL + KNOT

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

BULL + KNOT

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Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri

Samantha Willman + Christina Robev + Paniz Moayeri