Physical Setting And Aural Setting Flashcards
Who was the set designer for Sutra?
Antony Gormley- had worked with Larbi on previous works such as Zero Degrees
What made Gormley want to work with Larbi to create Sutra and why was he a good choice?
-he was attracted to the combination of Larbi and China and working with intelligent bodies that had a completely different reason for movement to any other contemporary dancers he had worked with
-his design always investigates the relationship between human body and space, but he wanted to go beyond the physical form to form human connections
-went to the Central School of Art and Design
-he studied archaeology, history of art, and anthropology showing why he wanted to link the physical sculptures to humans
What is the set design and how does this show Gormely’s artistic style
-21 wooden boxes with the dimensions of 60x60x180, weigh 32Kg each
-theme of clones with the boxes all being identical copies of each other
How does the set design reflect the themes and starting points of Sutra?
-the boxes show the investigation of freedom and containment and simple propositions like the body can be in one place and the mind somewhere else
-by using so many boxes on stage it creates a collective body- a way to visually make something appear bigger then just 1 box on stage
-boxes were incredibly versatile in their arrangement allowing for transformation and building and destroying to be shown
-the boxes are also quite reflective of the basic way that the monks live, being stripped back to the basics and order but not removing the creativity and art
Who was the composer for Sutra?
-Szymon Brzoska
Why was Brzoska a good choice to be the composer?
-he was originally from Poland and graduated from the Music Academy in Poland and the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Belgium, so he had very good cultural understanding and awareness
-he was a contemporary composer but with a classical base to it
-he used his own experiences at the temple like taking part in prayer, landscape and the monks movement to inspire the score
What did Larbi and Brzoska want to achieve through creating the score for Sutra?
-to reflect the monks melancholy and relaxation he wanted the music to be meditative
-about dynamic contradictions movement and stillness, soft and strong
-didn’t want any traditional Chinese music because it was about collaboration
-wanted there to be a synergy between the music, movement and image
How was the music actually created/ composed for Sutra?
-it was composed prior to the choreography as this is how Larbi works, but it was frequently reviewed and changes were made to enhance the piece
-pieces of music were composed separately and then it was matched and rearranged to suit scenes in the dance
What about the monks relationship to the music makes this work unique and different to normal dance pieces?
-the musicians had to follow the monk’s timing because they didn’t know how to follow music due to having their own internal set rhythms. This made composing a score challenging therefore as it had to be able to be adapted to the speeds of the monks movement. This is also why there is the gauze that the musicians play behind so that they can watch the monks movement
What is Larbi’s costume?
-a dark coloured shirt with a grey jacket over the top from sections 1-7 then a black jacket in sections 8-18 = smart westernised look
-blue/grey lose trousers which the monks are also wearing = this could show his integration with the monks. It is clear that he is still foreign but has joined their community
-his shoes are white trainers = very modern, western materialistic
What are the monks first costumes worn in sections 1 to 7?
-a long lose fitting blue/grey robe = their actual clothes for official trips but is practical, authentic and minimal reflecting their everyday life
-matching waist band
-have the same blue/grey matching trousers that Larbi also wears
-their shoes are black feiye shoes = very flexible and comfortable allowing them to carry out their martial arts
What are the monks costumes in section 8 Forest?
-dark burgundy plain lose fitting t-shirt
-the same blue/grey trousers
-same black feiye shoes
What are the monks costumes in sections 11 to 16?
-dark coloured shirt underneath a black suit with black trousers
-the same black feiye shoes
What was the reason for having all the monks dressed exactly the same in each of the sections?
-shows equality, cloning, uniformity, and they appear as a collective
List the props used in the work
-sword
-staff
-monkey pole
-mini replica boxes
-spears
-gunshu (wooden stick)
