A story of transformation, transgression, and the formation of new transcestral lines.
Boy mother / faceless bloom is a collaboration of Degenerate Art Ensemble, visual artist Senga Nengudi and musician/performer yuniya edi kwon. Threading mythology and autobiography, while drawing from the diverse lineages of queer, anti-colonial, and care-based artistic practices, Boy mother / faceless bloom is an interdisciplinary performance work. Dance, music, poetry, ritual, and sculptural installation converge to tell a story of transformation, transgression, and the formation of new transcestral lines. From the group’s statement: “Our work is intensely collaborative, rooted in the deepest respect and love we hold for one another. Through an intentional, transformational process, we build a world within which we can be free. Our bodies live in fear, in the shadows of beginning-less violence, in joy and in care. Through ritual and embodiment, we find openings for healing and growth and invite others to arrive. We are trying to tell a story we never want to end.”
Artists
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Created, Directed, and Performed by Juni One Set:
Senga Nengudi: co-creator, sculptural & costume design, movement, reader
yuniya edi kwon: co-creator, music, movement
Haruko Crow Nishimura: co-creator, movement, music
Joshua Kohl: co-creator, live musician, sound design, stage design
Degenerate Art Ensemble Artists and Production Team
Projection Designer, Cinematographer, Editor: Leo Mayberry
Lighting Designer: Jessica Trundy
Costume assistant: Willow Fox
Production Manager: Maximilian Sarkowsky
DAE Assistant / Road Manager: Ashley Hickey
Creative Support
Associate Costume Designers: Hisham Dawoud and Willow Fox
Costume Support: Jasmine Dillavou and Evelyn Bittner
Sound Contributions: Tomeka Reid and Jean Cook
Funded by the National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Colorado College in partnership with Contemporary Art Center Cincinnati, and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information, visit www.npnweb.org. This project is supported by the National Performance Network (NPN) Documentation & Storytelling Initiative. For more information: www.npnweb.org. Boy mother / faceless bloom was made with financial and residency support from BASE Experimental Arts (Seattle) and Roulette Intermedium (Brooklyn).
Honorary producer for the On the Boards presentation: John C. Robinson.
Photos by Bruce Clayton Tom and Wolfgang David