Wallpainted Abstractions

Concept and choreography: Liisa Pentti
Dance: Gabriela Aldana-Kekoni, Giorgio Convertito
Riku Immonen, Akseli Kaukoranta
Liisa Pentti, Liisa Risu, Nina Viitamäki
Lighting design: Mia Kivinen
Sound design: Patrick Kosk
Set design: Kimmo Takala
Costumes: Suvi Hänninen
Choreographer's assistant: Riitta Pasanen-Willberg
Music: Luc Ferrari, Patrick Kosk,
Steve Reich, Clint Mansell
Text: The Song of Solomon, 1:15-17. 2:1-3 & 8:6
Production: Liisa Pentti + Co, Zodiak,
Full Moon Dance Festival

Premiere 28.7.2004 Pyhäjärvi

"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm"
(The Song of Solomon, 8:6)

The starting point for choreographer Liisa Pentti's work Wallpainted Abstractions has been the elemental difference between Islamic and Western visual art. In Islamic art, the depiction of God or man is forbidden, because figural representation in art has previously been condemned as sorcery. The function of art is to act as a vehicle for meditation. Islamic artists have therefore created an ornamental language of signs and abstractions.

Another source of inspiration is Sufi mysticism. It defines words as a veil separating us from reality. Yet words also enable logical thought. This paradox between the experiential and logical dimensions of our consciousness is a recurring theme in the works of Liisa Pentti. In Wallpainted Abstractions, she is using Hebrew language, which bears no narrative meaning to most Finns but acts as a musical level.

In this work, Liisa Pentti aims to create a web of movement through the personal and kinaesthetic art of the dancers. Time, space and emotions create a work that is experienced on a bodily level, without a story or message.