Phoebe Rahmatallah

BA Art and Design

Within my project, I’ve explored the dynamics of bodily motion among dancers delving specifically into the idea of free movement versus the robotic form. In dance performance, there is a free, human, emotion-full movement within the blur of motion, it’s what evokes emotive responses from the viewers, and yet when dance becomes too controlled and too programmed, with the adoption of choreography, there is a loss of fluidity in the body into a robotic form of motion that feels alien. It refers to the systematic repetition of patterns or movements that evolve into learnt behaviours that grow more refined, structured, and rigid. The use of short film, inspired by works of filmmakers such as Maya Deren, in contrast to the collage of still images defines the concept of the pattern and repetition that comes with the introduction of technology that’s represented through 3D structural works that adorn the body in a robotic fashion. Fashion designers such as Paco Rabanne’ss metallic garments inspired a lot of the creative process when making my own 3D sculptural accessories.