Welcoming the New Year with David Zwirner
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Burn Me!
This performance piece by Klychkova explores how women are expected to carry the same responsibilities as men, whilst the state and society within Russia continue to impose a rigid model of behaviour around 'traditional' values. In 2017, domestic violence was partially decriminalized in Russia, but attempts to challenge this have been met with resistance with feminist organizations even being shut down and control over the female body has increasingly become a matter of state policy.
The ritual of Epiphany bathing- an annual act of 'purification' in which bodily discipline, religious faith, and social expectations collide in powerful and unsettling ways. Rooted in the practice of spiritual cleansing through triple immersion water, as a reference to the Holy Trinity, the ritual typically takes place in harsh winter conditions. Though framed as a voluntary act of faith, the ritual often operates as another form of behavioral regulation and women who take part in this 'cleansing' find themselves at the center of public attention. With an unofficial dress code, women usually enter the water wearing no underwear and thin cotton shirts. After immersion, the fabric becomes transparent, rendering them effectively naked. The shock of the cold often brings on uncontrolled emotional and physical reactions — screaming, trembling, gasping. And yet, in this moment, there is no shame. These raw expressions are met not with judgment, but with collective acceptance. For a brief time, behaviors that are stigmatized in daily life are transformed into symbols of purity.
Building an ice-hole in a frozen body of water with ice measuring up to 60cm thick, Klychkova reinterprets the ritual, highlighting it's contradictions and cultural weight. 'Immersion in ice is no longer about washing away sin — it becomes an act of shedding imposed shame and guilt. It is about reclaiming one’s body, voice, and right to feel. Women can cry, shout, tremble, or fall silent — without fear of reproach. Within this space, they affirm their right to exist freely, as they are. The act becomes a moment of shared experience and mutual recognition — where women come together across age, ethnicity, and identity. It is not the woman who conforms to the norm — it is the norm that loses its power.'
See this exhibition at The Box 805 Traction Avenue Los Angeles, CA- between May 17- July 5, 2025.
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I’ll See You on the Other Side: A Love Letter to NYC’s Memorial Murals
I was often curious as to who the people painted on these walls were, what were they like when they walked this earth, and how did they die? Nonetheless and no matter the cause of death, these people were major figures in their respective communities. So much that their memories live on, venerated, painted, and plastered upon walls, 10, 15, and even 25 years after they have transitioned on to the next life. As a native New Yorker, coupled with the changing onslaught of gentrification, the natural patterns of migration, and pieces of property changing hands and being repurposed, I have felt that it was imperative for me to document these murals, dedications and tributes before they are lost forever to father time.
I'll See You On the Other Side is available for purchase here.
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End of the World
End of the World marks an important return for Shayer. After twelve years at ABT, he left the company and addressed the racial inequalities he experienced as a black dancer in a predominantly white industry. The choreography within this piece mirrors Shayer's own struggles, with the music acting as a reflection of his introspective journey, stepping into a different creative space- one where he reclaims dance on his own terms. "In the case of this piece, I was presented with the music to work with,” says Shayer. “And suddenly I could feel myself coming back, through Zach Tabori’s melancholic tone. It felt like a symbiotic narrative about what I’ve gone through—and that gave meaning to my pursuit of creating a means of expression, a purpose for dancing."
And suddenly I could feel myself coming back, through Zach Tabori’s melancholic tone
Tabori's relationship between music and ballet is special, he explains “My favorite piece of music is The Rite of Spring—which is technically a ballet,” says Tabori. “To me, ballet is the original music video. If you want to use a visual to show how a piece of music is supposed to feel, you use dance. I wanted to bring that idea into this project.” Which he successfully achieved with the depth and emotion within this choreographed piece by Gotch and Shayer. Gotch makes a great point when it comes to the ballet industry in that “It’s an art form that speaks volumes without words, but too often it’s only seen onstage, in a theater. Ballet has always been—and will always be—my first love. We simply hope to share ballet in a way that feels more accessible, allowing viewers to experience it outside the traditional theater setting.” This accessiblity of sharing the artform of the ballet, and it's integration into the mainstream media has been well executed within this partnership.
To me, ballet is the original music video
