Valentina Lacmanovic – Solar ring
Francia Produción Croacia/Holanda 12:35Synopsis: This is the second film of Valentina Lacmanović in which the artist films herself and develops the use of camera as an extension of the moving body. The triptych can be displayed as three-channel installation or as a linear-type projection.
Three parts correspond to three phases in a transforming process from obsessive and complacent mind activity towards the awakening of the consciousness through dance and abandon to the spiral.
CHAPTER I
Golden cage with open door (obsession with confusion)
The incessant movement of the mind and its chaotic thoughts create a golden cage from which escape is possible, the door is always open but the toxic attachment is stronger.
CHAPTER II
Solar spiral (transformation)
In order to leave the obsessive mind, a tool is necessary. Spiraling and whirling are the key, the way out.
CHAPTER III
Voda light (katharmon. myein.)
“Voda” means “water” in Croatian. Once out of the mental cage, the elements are different, and the reflection of light influences the movement. Water evokes the initiation, purification (katharmon) and ritualization. “Myein” in ancient Greek means ‘to close’ referring to the lips or the eyes – evoking the secret status surrounding the rites. Later, myein has come to stand for the inexplicable.CHAPTER I
Golden cage with open door (obsession with confusion)
The incessant movement of the mind and its chaotic thoughts create a golden cage from which escape is possible, the door is always open but the toxic attachment is stronger.
CHAPTER II
Solar spiral (transformation)
In order to leave the obsessive mind, a tool is necessary. Spiraling and whirling are the key, the way out.
CHAPTER III
Voda light (katharmon. myein.)
“Voda” means “water” in Croatian. Once out of the mental cage, the elements are different, and the reflection of light influences the movement. Water evokes the initiation, purification (katharmon) and ritualization. “Myein” in ancient Greek means ‘to close’ referring to the lips or the eyes – evoking the secret status surrounding the rites. Later, myein has come to stand for the inexplicable.
Bio: Valentina Lacmanović is a performance artist with background in acting (studied at CNSAD (French National Academy of Dramatic Arts) and dance (studied classical and contemporary techniques in Croatia, France, Spain, Turkey, India, and the Netherlands). She also possesses a Master degree in Philosophy (Université Paris VIII).
Fluent in five languages, Valentina was always attracted to variety of cultures, philosophies and performing arts techniques as well as martial arts.
From 2001 onwards, her work has been focused on creating solo and collaborative performances inspired by rituals as roots of performing arts, shamanic practices and trance-like states.
Profound research into ritual versus performing spaces gave since 2003 a new direction to her work as an art director and performer, ultimately resulting in the project “Shedervish” (2007 a dance-video art performance and 2008 experimental film “Shedervish Framed”), which marked an important change in her artistic development.
Since 2008 she has been creating performances and projects for both white cube and black box spaces in collaboration with musicians, video-artists, sound-artists, filmmakers, dancers, and in dialogue with experts in anthropology, ethnology, and psychoanalysis.
Nowadays she works and lives between Amsterdam and Paris. Her main focus is the creation of contemporary art of immersion through performances and video artworks inspired by philosophical reflection on ritual practices and transformative performance acts. She continues her research (“From Trance to Performance”) on convergences and divergences between contemporary visions of performance and enacting of ancient rituals.