shuttermain
Dualities
A projection work show at No Vacancy Gallery in 2018 (note the video has no sound).
Krump is a dance of constant change, of volatility, of unpredictability. For those unfamiliar with this culture, Krump emerged in 2000 in the streets of South Central Los Angeles, cultivated by young African-Americans who were looking for an alternative to gang life. It also had strong ties to faith and spirituality, with some dancers using this expression as a form of praise and worship. Whatever the motivation, Krump provided a release and, as the culture developed, so too did its dance foundations, music, dress code and vernacular. In Melbourne, Krump materialised in 2005 in the streets of Dandenong, within a predominately Polynesian community. Over the years, the movement has spread, straddling various cultural groups and postcodes. Street sessions are an important part of the culture and most weekends, you’ll find the Melbourne community dancing in the carpark outside the Victoria Markets.
Dualities presents two contrasting video works. One, shot in real time and in colour, focuses on the technicalities of the dance and how it can be interpreted by the individual. It’s also an ode to the city in which the community exists, the city skyline glimmers in the background, the unforgiving bitumen underfoot. The other work, a slow motion black and white video, emphasises the expression of this artform. By slowing down time and shooting in a session setting (where one krumper dances and is ‘hyped’ by the rest of the community) the energy and emotion that is generated by both dancer and community is captured.
