Saturday 13 August 2011

VNB Project Flyer



September 2011

Vertical. Nature. Base. is a project produced by Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company as part of the Into Contact programme. It is a collaboration between Echo Echo Artistic Director Steve Batts and Belfast based artist Dan Shipsides.

V.N.B is a residential exploratory and experimental climbing / art / dance project based at a coastal climbing location in Donegal and a city base in Derry-Londonderry. Interested folk can join the residency during a programmed phase in September 2011.

Background

Dan's work has often rooted itself in, and reflected on, his practice as a rock climber and he has consistently linked his artistic research and production to the tradition of landscape painting and environmental, site specific, art. Climbing can be seen partly as a way of engaging directly with the landscape and offering opportunities to relate and create through this direct engagement.

Steve has been creating work with a process that he calls "Embodying Landscape" in various forms since the 1980's. The process is a refined way of creating "movement poetry" from direct sensory and bodily experience. It involves relatively complex processes of mediation which are controlled and technical as well as intuitive. He has also been interested for a number of years, at a novice level, in climbing.

This project brings this shared interest into sharp focus. It raises questions about the degree to which climbing is really a sportif activity and in what ways it might be seen more as a spiritual or creative endeavour related more to ideas about landscape and environment .


Public phase 1: 55.2°N, 6.9°W
Port-a-Doris coastal climbing location, County Donegal
Dates: 2nd - 4th & 9th - 11th September 2011

During these two weekends V.N.B. invites interested and intrepid people to join the camp. There will be an introduction to the ideas behind it and the parameters of the project with a programme of creative and movement activities. Visitors will be free to decide what they want to contribute to the process practically and artistically. Overnight camping is optional (please be self-sufficient). Rain is not guaranteed.


Public phase 2: 54.9°N, 7°W

Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company, 13 Bishop Street, Derry-Londonderry
Dates: 24th (Opening night 6pm) -1st October 2011

V.N.B. relocates to Bishop Street presenting an installation, with associated performance events, using concepts, material and documentation developed during first phase of the project.

Public programme available to download (word. doc)

The project is part of Echo Echo's Into Contact programme and is funded by Legacy Trust UK's Connections programme in Northern Ireland. Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity set up to help build a cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Connections is managed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.