Internationally renowned choreographer Trajal Harrell creates narratives that examine the lives of women beyond the sensational moments of infamy. O Medea begins where Euripides’ tragic Greek masterpiece ends and seeks to explore the wild grief that our lives produce.
Channelling the histories of how they have loved, been loved, and been betrayed through the ecstatic rituals of mourning, O Medea considers what it is like to be a woman among other women, expressing the weight of their lives performatively.
Using elements from contemporary culture, Trajal Harrell’s captivating work of expressive gestural forms sits uniquely at the intersection of postmodern movement, voguing – a style developed in 1980s Harlem, early modern dance and butoh – a form of Japanese theatre which emerged after the second world war.
About the artist +
Credit Bea Borgers
Harrell gained international recognition for creating a series of works that bring together the tradition of voguing – a modern dance style developed in the late 1980s from the Harlem ballroom scene – with early postmodern dance. In his latest work, the artist combines theoretical ideas from voguing with gestures and formal ideas that derived from Butoh dance, which was conceived in Japan during the late 50’s and early 60’s. Weaving the links between two seemingly distant dance cultures, the artist puts the body at the centre of his research exploring the ways in which it becomes a receptacle of memory, the past and historical characters who have inspired this work. Intertwining notions of time, history and transcultural references, it reveals the multitude of layers that make up the richness of history of contemporary dance.
Harrell has had his work presented at Avignon (2023); Impulstanz Vienna (2023); Berliner Festspiele (2023); Milano Triennale (2023); Ludwig Forum (2023); Aichi Triennial (2022); MUDAM (2022); Holland Festival (2022): Kunsthalle Zurich (2022); Fondation Cartier, Paris (2021); São Paulo Bienal (2021); Lafayette Anticipations (2021), Gwangju Biennale (2021); Impulstanz Festival, Vienna (2021); Manchester International Festival (2019); Ludwig Museum- Cologne (2019); Kanal Pompidou -Brussels (2019); Festival d’Automne, Paris (2019); MUDAM (2018); The Kitchen, New York (2018); The Barbican Centre London (2017); Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2017); Tanz im August, Berlin (2017); Documenta- Parliament of Bodies (2017); MoMA, New York (2016); Festival d’Avignon (2016); Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2016); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2015); Stedelijk Museum and Holland Festival (2014); Centre Pompidou-Metz (2014); MoMA PS1 (2013); Performa Biennial (2011); and The New Museum – New York (2009), among others.
Currently, Harrell is one of the house directors at The Schauspielhaus Zurich and the founding director of The Schauspielhaus Zurich Dance Ensemble.
Cast & Creative +
- Trajal Harrell
Choreography and Direction - Thierry Villeneuve
Editing - Titilayo Adebayo, Vânia Doutel Vaz, Maria Ferreira Silva, Trajal Harrell and Ondrej Vidlar
Performers - Trajal Harrell
Costume and Sound Design - Sally Heard
Wardrobe Manager - Lena Appel
Director's Assistant - Cause célèbre, Lena Appel and Lies Martens
Touring Producer
Credits +
Footage recorded during Friend of a Friend, a project by Trajal Harrell, imagined for and presented as part of the exhibition Sarah Sze, Night into Day, produced by the Nomadic Nights of the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, March 2021.
O Medea forms one part of a trilogy, Porca Miseria, produced by Manchester International Festival and commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Schauspielhaus Zürich, ONASSIS STEGI, Kampnagel (Hamburg), Holland Festival, the Barbican and Dance Umbrella, NYU Skirball, Berliner Festspiele and The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Access +
No audio description available.
A film with no speaking. The film begins and ends with the organic sounds of the city and the space the performance takes place in. The majority of the film is set to a music score of the following tracks:
- The Broad Day King by Craig Taborn
- Zito Pantou O Kaimmenos by Markos Elektrik
- 6 Partitas, No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 830: I. Toccata by Walter Blankenheim
- Number One by Manu Katché
The performance of O Medea was recorded at the Fondation Cartier in Paris, amidst installations by the artist Sarah Sze in her exhibition Night into Day. The film begins with a shot of the glass walls of the building from the inside during daylight, looking out onto the street. The five performers all wear identical black floral dresses, lying on the floor moving around, before rising to their feet, moving their whole bodies. Some of the performers appear deeply distressed, some crying. Sometimes the camera focuses on one performer, other times the whole group. Daylight turns into dusk. As the sun sets, golden light is cast on the performers and the building. Dusk turns into night, and the building is now artifically lit. The performers continue to move and flow, with the movement becoming faster and more frantic. The film ends as the performers vacate the performance area and pendulum that is part of the art installation swings, followed by shots of the empty glass building at night.
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