FKA Twigs, the creative polymath singer, dancer, artist, is currently showing a piece called “The Eleven” at Sotheby’s London:
The Eleven is a durational artwork, conceived by twigs and performed by a rotating group of eleven ‘movers.’ The piece, developed by twigs over many months, is a physical and artistic quest for self-healing, rooted – in part – in her decades spent in movement practice, somatic healing technique and by implementing conscious action on repeat. twigs herself will participate alongside a changing cast of special guests. They will embody the method and record in real time the changes they feel in their mind and body.
I admit, I'm a bit of a stan for twigs: with every new work she produces, I have the fanatical experience of feeling seen personally by her, as if she’s going through exactly what I’m going through, processing and metabolizing it better than I can, then releasing art that speaks in hyper-relevant ways to what’s currently in my heart.
In this piece, the Eleven, she yet again speaks sagely, directly, compellingly to me. The last 5-10 years I've been in a very heady, wordy space—when emotionally overwhelmed, I’ve been turning ravenously to words, trying to speak through my confusion or read someone else’s wisdom into clarity. However, this past year, I’ve been consciously trying to spend more time in my body and in raised awareness of my physicality. After a past life training in highly technical ballet, I’ve been trying to reacquaint myself with movement and dance in a way that isn’t fraught and turned miserable by body criticism, perfectionism, and the male gaze. I’ve been trying to find the experience of physicality for healing, physicality for wholeness, physicality for self-love.
I watched the piece before I read the accompanying text, and it was clear this work was based around somatic healing and ritualistic communal movement. The dancers existed in place alone, yet connected and raised up in community. Their individual interpretations revealing physical themes of self-soothing, of ecstasy, of meditation. Their repetitive dance evolving, developing, and blossoming into release.
Watch a livestream here until September 26. I thought I would be able to do other things while I projected this on the TV in the background, but I ended up glued to my seat, mesmerized. I might throw it on again later this week and join in, in private worship.
In this piece, the Eleven, she yet again speaks sagely, directly, compellingly to me. The last 5-10 years I've been in a very heady, wordy space—when emotionally overwhelmed, I’ve been turning ravenously to words, trying to speak through my confusion or read someone else’s wisdom into clarity. However, this past year, I’ve been consciously trying to spend more time in my body and in raised awareness of my physicality. After a past life training in highly technical ballet, I’ve been trying to reacquaint myself with movement and dance in a way that isn’t fraught and turned miserable by body criticism, perfectionism, and the male gaze. I’ve been trying to find the experience of physicality for healing, physicality for wholeness, physicality for self-love.
I watched the piece before I read the accompanying text, and it was clear this work was based around somatic healing and ritualistic communal movement. The dancers existed in place alone, yet connected and raised up in community. Their individual interpretations revealing physical themes of self-soothing, of ecstasy, of meditation. Their repetitive dance evolving, developing, and blossoming into release.
Watch a livestream here until September 26. I thought I would be able to do other things while I projected this on the TV in the background, but I ended up glued to my seat, mesmerized. I might throw it on again later this week and join in, in private worship.
Some screenshots:
