Contemporary Duet

This work is a Manibus-aided painting in acrylic on paper. It measures 11x14" This painting represents the choreography of a contemporary duet by Serkan Hanusta, Artistic Director for Ballet Des Moines, as performed by dancers Eleanor and Devin. The work was created in two parts as the duet was performed twice with each dancer taking a turn to wear the motion-sensing remote to control the Manibus painting bot. Manibus simultaneously renders the dynamics of their movements into paint on paper. Manibus was created by visual artist, Amenda Tate Corso. It is a robotic tool utilized to translate the ephemeral and dynamic movement of ballet into a sustaining work of art. The first part was painted as Eleanor wore the sensor device during the duet. Her part is depicted in light gray. The second part was painted as Devin wore the sensor device during the duet. His part is depicted in black. This painting visually quantifies the differences in the roles of male and female dancers within the piece. The male's purpose is to provide the structure, support, and framework for the female dancer's twirling, flourishing, and embellished moves. The work shows two unique identities within a relational context. It defines the dancers' roles individually and as components of a whole. It depicts their relative positions in space and the bonds between them. For more info: www.amendatate.com Manibus Project Amenda Tate Corso, Ballet Des Moines Artist-In-Residence Spring 2017