"Hell's Belles." Went to see the performance by Shana Robbins and Kiki Blood (aka Kirsten Mitchell) taking place in Hell.
Fertile ground for some performance art, no? It's the lowest level of the concert venue The Masquerade (Heaven, of course, being the highest). The collaboration of these two artists is a surprising and exciting moment.
Surprising because both artist typically perform alone, the star of their theatrical worlds. Each woman uses her body as the tool, and replaces her personal identity with larger universal struggles and feminist based issues. To combine visions and share a stage means a compromising of more than ego, but of artistic pursuit and control.
Exciting because both of these woman approach performance art with a level of ambition, confidence, and intelligence that demands of the viewer a redefining of art in this city, shoving the boundaries of expectation and understanding to a new level. These artists jam the conveyor belt of Atlanta's art production (while wearing corsets and stilettos) and demand your attention - now - in this moment. Forget price tags, color swatches, white wine in plastic cups - this is real deal - it's alive - you are not looking at art, you have been engulfed by it.
Anyway, off the soap box, and on with the show....
The cavernous space was kept dark (posing as a rather challenging environment for photo-documentation) and began with the Blue Bear (who has made appearances in some of Robbin's previous work). The Blue Bear burned sage around the perimeter of the painted-canvas covered stage, then swept, and paid it's respects to the eye circled in blue light on the floor. The Blue Bear seemed to be a keeper of the space, coming in and out of it's hiding spot (a large metal cage) whenever the vixens would disappear to clean up their mess and then retreat back to it's cage before their next entrance.
Kiki Blood, vixen
Black wig and white mask
grinding her body across the floor
on stage
sets her face upon the mic stand
cutting away the mask
leaves the mask hanging
lays her body across the stage like a temptress
Shana Robbins appears in a head dress of doilies
and tree-branch antlers
camouflage for skin and a crotch of pink lace
the figure walks out with shaky legs on stripper heals
like a new-born deer, moving like jello
mother nature puts on a budweiser thong bikini
the music suddenly changes to bump n grind
and she straddles the tree trunk
and pole dances like a stripper
a black gem tear where the left eye ought be
gyrating hips and raucous shouts from the crowd
up/down, climb that pole girl
one of the antlers was broken
left on the floor for Blue Bear to retrieve
when the pole dancing ended
next was the aerobic lesson
the instructors: two men in suits on screen
work it out, work that body, break a sweat, whip it into shape
"I am a pyramid"
"I am your symbol"
Robbins, a figure in gold
was lowered from the ceiling
slowly
jangling gold bells
gold mask
Kiki Blood brandishes a knife
cutting herself out of the pyramid
sound of ripping fabric
canvas becomes a knee length dress she drops at the mic
nude underwear
leaves the mask hanging
lays her body across the stage like a temptress
lazy and dangerous
Shana Robbins appears in a head dress of doilies
and tree-branch antlers
camouflage for skin and a crotch of pink lace
the figure walks out with shaky legs on stripper heals
like a new-born deer, moving like jello
mother nature puts on a budweiser thong bikini
the music suddenly changes to bump n grind
and she straddles the tree trunk
and pole dances like a stripper
a black gem tear where the left eye ought be
gyrating hips and raucous shouts from the crowd
up/down, climb that pole girl
one of the antlers was brokenleft on the floor for Blue Bear to retrieve
when the pole dancing ended
next was the aerobic lesson
the instructors: two men in suits on screen
work it out, work that body, break a sweat, whip it into shape
"I am a pyramid"
"I am your symbol"
Robbins, a figure in gold
was lowered from the ceiling
slowly
jangling gold bells
gold mask
Kiki Blood brandishes a knife
cutting herself out of the pyramid
sound of ripping fabric
canvas becomes a knee length dress she drops at the mic
nude underwear
*intermission*
(I'll use this pause to mention that the Masquerade turned out to be a surprisingly ideal location for this performance. The lighting and music were an integral part of this piece and the facilities of the theater allowed for an incredible execution and control. And where else could Robbins be lowered from the ceiling with such ease?)
the music has shifted
the sounds become humid and thick
flies buzzing, insects swarming
(I'll use this pause to mention that the Masquerade turned out to be a surprisingly ideal location for this performance. The lighting and music were an integral part of this piece and the facilities of the theater allowed for an incredible execution and control. And where else could Robbins be lowered from the ceiling with such ease?)
the music has shifted
the sounds become humid and thick
flies buzzing, insects swarming
the women hover around the table
spearing cherries with the tips of golden Thai finger extensions
stacking building blocks and playing cards
pop, little explosions
sticky, stick, the music is creepy
they are bored
they are bidding their time
the women move like insects, Praying Mantises wanting to devour the other
the show ends in an unexpected waltz
the women leave their pointed finger extensions on the table
music changes to upbeat
Blue Bear is invited out of the cage (don't hurt that bear!)
viewers are pulled from the crowd to dance
the show ends quietly
like a compacted version of a woman's life was presented
(or maybe just those teenage years?)
a dark place lit
or a civilization
from rough beginning to peaceful end
turns out Hell isn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is.
spearing cherries with the tips of golden Thai finger extensions
stacking building blocks and playing cards
pop, little explosions
sticky, stick, the music is creepy
they are bored
they are bidding their time
the women move like insects, Praying Mantises wanting to devour the other
the show ends in an unexpected waltz
the women leave their pointed finger extensions on the table
music changes to upbeat
Blue Bear is invited out of the cage (don't hurt that bear!)
viewers are pulled from the crowd to dance
the show ends quietly
like a compacted version of a woman's life was presented
(or maybe just those teenage years?)
a dark place lit
or a civilization
from rough beginning to peaceful end
turns out Hell isn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is.
Related Posts:
Becoming a Tree (Cake Included)
1 comment:
Wow, I am way sorry that I missed this!
That face on that pole is haunting.
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