“Prouvost’s work is messy, funny, and playful, but it is also always serious.” —Art Newspaper
For this world premiere, inquisitive French-born conceptual artist Laure Prouvost presents her first major production for the stage. The winner of the 2013 Turner Prize, Prouvost is known for weaving together fiction and fact to create complex and humorous stories that challenge the ways we create our own life histories. Expect an unpredictable yet thoroughly charming experimental mash-up of video work, dance, immersive stage décor, and choral music. Prouvost is joined by artist Sam Belinfante, renowned dance artist Pierre Droulers—one of Belgium and France’s leading choreographers—and musicians and performers from Minnesota and New York. The show will be presented on Friday, February 9 and Saturday, February 10 at 8pm in the William and Nadine McGuire Theater.
Presented as part of the Walker exhibition Laure Prouvost (October 12, 2017–February 11, 2018). World Premiere.
ABOUT LAURE PROUVOST
Laure Prouvost’s artistic output consistently returns to themes of escape into unfamiliar worlds or imaginings of unexpected alternative environments. A strong narrative impulse propels her practice, resulting in immersive, trans-medial installations with interwoven story lines that combine fiction and reality. Her videos, installations, paintings and tapestries unhinge commonplace and expected connections between language, image, and perception. Stepping away from traditional linear narratives, the artist crafts sensual environments laden with playful mistranslation that open a space for the viewer to grapple with the unstable relationship between imagination and reality. Prouvost was born in 1978 in Croix-Lille, France. She lives and works in London, UK and Antwerp, Belgium. Recent solo exhibitions include Softer and rounder so as to shine through your smooth marble, SALT Galata, Istanbul (2017); the wet wet wanderer, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam (2017); Laure Prouvost, wot hit talk, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Gdańsk (2017); AND SHE WILL SAY: HI HER, AILLEURS, TO HIGHER GROUNDS…, Kunstmuseum Luzern (2016); GDM-Grandad Visitor Center, Pirelli Hangar Bicocca, Milan (2016); ALL BEHIND, WE’LL GO DEEPER, DEEP DOWN AND SHE WILL SAY:, MMK, Frankfurt (2016); DROPPED HERE AND THEN, TO LIVE, LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND, FRAC/ Consortium Dijon (2016); A Way To Leak, Lick, Leek, Fahrenheit, Los Angeles (2016); We Will Go Far, Musée Départemental d’Art Contemporain de Rochechouart (2015), It, Heat, Hit, e-flux, New York (2015), Der Öffentlichkeit — Von Den Freunden Haus Der Kunst, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2015), For Forgetting, New Museum, New York (2014). Prouvost received the Max Mara Art Prize for Women in 2011 and the Turner Prize in 2013.
ABOUT SAM BELINFANTE
Based in London, Belinfante is a filmmaking and photography artist with an emphasis on curating sound and performance. His exhibitions has shown across the UK and Paris, such as This is a Voice and The Curves of the Needle. Belinfante won the Hayward Touring Curatorial Open with his exhibition Listening in 2014. He has worked with numerous other performance artists such as Laure Prouvost, Ragner Kjartansson, Imogen Stidworthy and Ed McKeon on many of his projects.
ABOUT PIERRE DROULERS
French and Belgian choreographer and dancer, Droulers studied artistic training at Maurice Béjart’s Mudra School in Brussels. Creating and performing in several shows since the 70s, Droulers has also been co-directing Charlero/Danses, the Choreographic Centre of the French Community with Michèle Anne De Mey, Thierry De Mey and Vincent Thirion since 2005.