Standing crammed into the dark exhibition hall, it’s hard not to be awestruck by the imposing, bracing, yet strangely beautiful display that towers before you. “Kinesis” is just that — hypnotic, mesmerising, beautiful, elegant and powerful. A roiling, surging river of projected light that dances with, across and somehow against, film of powerful and emotional dancers. Each dancer’s doing their own separate thing, yet they come together in powerful ways to form a projected kaleidoscope that tells the story of wellbeing.
“Kinesis” is an interpretation of hauora, an all-encompassing concept of being well that’s unique to Māoridom. But how it’s generally conveyed — in classrooms, business team building meetings, or posters in doctors’ waiting rooms — is often staid, and goes to reduce something so philosophical to mere wholesome gesture and platitude.
Hauora is so much more than that. It’s a powerful metaphor for the essence of being human. Split into four parts — Taha Tinana, Taha Hinengaro, Taha Whānau, and Taha Wairua — it conveys the importance of physical, mental, and spiritual health, as well as social wellbeing, which combine to create an ideal state of health. Each of the four separate pillars coalesce to both influence and support the others. If one aspect buckles, the others are pulled down with it — and so is the overall health.
“Kinesis” represented these aspects in a unique, awe-inspiring and moving way. As the last of the spring light faded, throwing the cloak of dusk over the skylights above the exhibition space, powerful beams projected from four corners of the hall to illuminate eight screens in the centre, drawing the crowd around it like a great kabba of design. The screens, white sheets that descended from above, were sandwiched in pairs, amplifying the visual effect. On these appeared four dancers, interpreting hauora their way, through dance. Their movements were graceful, powerful and eclectic. They were sovereign beings in the confines of their own section of screen, but would regularly break the border and cross to other aspects, clasping hands to become an undifferentiated mass of movement. Their relentless ebbing and flowing reflected the peaks and troughs of health; when one would move, the others would follow, whether that was up or down.
The velvety smooth dancing was punctured and overlaid by a ceaseless, dazzling churl of hypnotic swirls and vibrant colours, doing their own simultaneous dance. And with the subtle ethereal soundscape that filled the hall to smother the chatter, the aspects of “Kinesis” — much like the aspects of hauora — came together to create an experience that really was one of a kind.
With simplicity and elegance, it took control of a philosophical concept and brought it to life in a way that was both confronting and subtle, while also paying homage to hauora’s unique and special nature. It was tasteful and adventurous, and, to my untrained eye for design, perfectly executed. While it was vibrant, compelling and confrontational, its subtlety was key. It was there to be interpreted, not to scream a message. What makes one’s hauora whole is unique to each person, what made “Kinesis” whole was just the same.
“Kinesis” was gripping and beautiful. It was a soothing, meditative vision, and a seductive dream of togetherness that this Master’s student can aspire to one day possess. But it was also playful and frantic. Wending my way through the screens; stroking the rays of light that fractured the darkness; walking from screen-to-screen, trying to work out the greater picture, was an experience second-to-none. It had me hooked. To my untrained artistic eye, it was sheer creative brilliance.
The team behind “Kinesis” clearly had great ambition and, in my view, their immense effort and teamwork was richly rewarded. It truly was a wonderful experience. Five stars.
-Written by Jamie Tahana, Radio New Zealand, 2017
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