as part of Secret Florence 2023

The STILL LIVES project by Daniel Kok (Singapore) and Luke George (Melbourne) is a series of site specific performances and installations, in which the two artists engage with the cultural symbols of the places they encounter. Since 2014, Daniel and Luke have worked closely studying different ropes binding techniques. Their works have been presented in Shanghai (2017), Taipei (2018), Venice (2019 Biennale Danza) and Melbourne (2022).

For STILL LIVES: FLORENCE, they have singled out the Rape of the Sabines, 16th century marble masterpiece by Giambologna, located in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, to replicate as a human sculpture featuring three people who identify as queer. Starting from the gender politics embedded in the Giambologna sculpture, the performance offers a reflection on today’s gender policies.

During the performance a video will also be screened in which the three performers will tell about themselves and the relationship with their gender identity.

Daniel Kok has a BA in Fine Art & Critical Theory (Goldsmiths College, London), an MA in Solo/ Dance/Authorship (HZT, Berlin) and has studied Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies (APASS, Brussels). His performances have been presented across Asia, Europe, Australia and North America. As artistic director of Dance Nucleus (Singapore), he focuses on building capacities for interdisciplinary praxis and trans-local partnerships in Asia and Australia. He curates the annual da:ns Lab at the Esplanade (Singapore) and is a core group member of the Asia Network for Dance (AND+).

Luke George is a multidisciplinary artist born in Tasmania and residing in Melbourne. Informed by queer politics and spaces, his works explore risk and intimacy and employ daring and at times, unorthodox methods, to create further possibilities for artist and audience to encounter each other. Luke’s work takes him across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. He was a 2019 Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship recipient and appointed Artistic Associate of Temperance Hall in 2020.

a project by Daniel Kok and Luke George
performers: Elio Rosalba Bonaccini, Giacomo AG, Max Simonetto (naturaviolenta)
music: Leblond
video: Rebecca Lena
produced by Fabbrica Europa
in collaboration with Tenax and Compagnia degli Istanti
with the support of National Arts Council Singapore

Secret Florence, a strategic project of Estate Fiorentina, is in its eighth edition. The project, carried out by five internationally active institutions based in the City of Florence’s urban area, Fabbrica Europa, Lo schermo dell’arte, Musicus Concentus, Tempo Reale, and Centro di Produzione della Danza Virgilio Sieni, is conceived for a series of scenic spaces that are mostly not previously used or not habitually used by the public, or for well-known spaces that are reinterpreted in surprising ways, where dance, music, art, and cinema performances adapt to the architectural and acoustic characteristics of different places each time. Therefore, the actions that make up the project also take part in the rediscovery of traditional spaces under a new light; they may establish different aesthetic perspectives within previously unused and current buildings or environments, or reveal forgotten and unknown cultural events and stories. All the artistic initiatives are part of a territorial unicum, and in certain cases are even an actual complete novelty in the international scenery of contemporary artistic research.
Full programme at secretflorence.it

Photogallery

[cover and photos 1-18 of the gallery: Giampaolo Becherini]