Dancing Dress (2019)

Kinetic sculpture: brass, garment, metal, aluminium, electric motor, electronic devices, sound;
variable dimensions

The movement of the mechanical dress represents the conflicting desires of a person, torn between the inner urge to become an artist and the need for happiness through a liberated creative process. It refers to Lily Briscoe, a painter character from the novel "To the Lighthouse," who experiences immense satisfaction after completing her painting after several years. The mechanical dress's motion symbolizes the pursuit of creative freedom and innermost desires. Similarly, with its repetitive circular motion, the dervishes' dance represents their quest for spiritual enlightenment and detachment from materialistic desires. The dance's origin can be traced back to a common pursuit of self-actualization and independence to attain inner harmony and completeness, highlighting the human inclination towards self-discovery and transcendence.

Credits:
Photo: Damjan Švarc
Music: Bowrain
Construction of mechanism: France Petač
Electrical engineering: Otto Urpelainen
Costume design: Jelka Lehrman