Image still from performance of Rivers and Robots at Lumen Festival, 2022. Photo Documentation: Conan Stark.
Ben Gorodetsky
Rivers and Robots (2022)
Presented by Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener + Area (CAFKA) in partnership with Lumen
September 24, 6:00 - 11:00pm
33 William St E, Waterloo
Rivers & Robots is a performance installation / dance party by artist Ben Gorodetsky.
Over 4 hours this durational performance will explore interactive shadow play, using projections of aerial drone video of O:se Kenhionhata:tie / Willow River / Grand River. Spectators are invited to step into the PARTY BARN and join Ben in dancing with the images of our watershed, casting shadows of human forms set against the waterways that have nourished this region for millenia. These water dances are counterpointed by movement duets that Ben will perform live with his drone. A live video feed of the drone's camera will be in dialogue with pre-recorded river footage, exploring the robot/human/river dynamic through projection, dance, shadow and spontaneous composition.
Ben Gorodetsky is a Ukrainian-Canadian performance maker, improviser, and video artist based in Kitchener, Ontario. His work has been presented by Movement Research at Judson Church, The Tank NYC, The Magnet Theatre, Out of Bounds Comedy Fest, e-Volver, Brian Webb Dance Company, Hillside Fest, Expanse Festival, Living Things Festival, Rubaboo Festival, Guelph Comedy Fest, and SpringWorks. Ben is the former Associate Artistic Director of Rapid Fire Theatre (Edmonton) and has performed, taught, and directed improvisation in Atlanta, Detroit, Austin, NYC, LA, Reunion Island, Vienna, Ljubljana, Montreal, Toronto, Yellowknife, and Vancouver. He's co-creator of political satire comedy duo Folk Lordz (VICE), and curator and host of interdisciplinary variety show Pinch Cabaret. Ben was recognized with the Emerging Artist Award at the Mayor's Celebration for the Arts (Edmonton) and nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award in Improv. He was the 2021/2022 artist-in-residence with the Guelph Dance festival. Ben has taught performance at UBC Okanagan, and holds a BFA from the University of Alberta and an MFA from Brooklyn College-CUNY.
Image stills from performance of Rivers and Robots at Lumen Festival, 2022. Photo Documentation: Conan Stark.
