a painter and a ballerina

In this work, Jonatas Chimen engages with renowned Samantha Hope Galler in an unscripted artistic collaboration. Here, the artist studies the classical ballerina's every move as she delivers a free-style choreography. As the dancer takes brief pauses, Jonatas Chimen attempts to capture her pose, movement, and even her perceived emotions through a series of brushstrokes on the canvas behind. There is a strong communication which occurs between the two artists throughout this performance, which covers much of the emotional and rhythmic spectrum only found in performance art. All of this is translated into what remains at the end: Two colossal (5 meters in length by 1.70 meters in height) abstract expressionism paintings, standing as testament of an irreplaceable moment of artistic inquiry. Conceptually speaking, these paintings (Part I & II) and their video documentation are about adapting to life's many unforeseen situations. This is shown as the painter pursues the dancer with his brush, paint, charcoal, and several other mark-making tools at hand, until they both succumb to exhaustion. Interestingly enough, it is this attempt to anticipate the happenstances of life what brings us into an existential dichotomy; as anxiety and fear (portrayed in black and white) emanate from the lack of certainty, which, congruently, is responsible for producing life's greatest pleasures, appeal, and beauty – as portrayed in the colorful part of the artwork. See the full video documentation by clicking here and here.