Abrazo

Photo & Video Installation

Abrazo is a project of photographer Caroline Hayeur and interdisciplinary artist D. Kimm. One has danced the tango for a few years; the other has embraced her camera.

Their project, which brings together photos, videos, and interviews, began at an artistic residence in Buenos Aires in 2014. In the coming months, they will meet, shoot, and interview the tango enthusiasts of Montréal. Their goal: to understand and capture the beauty of the abrazo.

The topic

The tango is a dance of improvisation. Although it is structured, the steps are not planned in advance. The abrazo is the “way to take in the arm.” Before you start dancing, one partner must find the proper position according to the body language of the other; thus begins the connection. The evenings are held in milongas where tandas (3-4 musical pieces in the same style) are linked, interspersed with the cortina (musical break).

The project presents tango as a social dance, bypassing its competitive, performative, and historical dimensions. What concerns us is the physical and emotional encounter between two human beings. The dancers’ embrace allows for an encounter with social roles, stereotypes, personal identity, gender balance, human fragility, social representation, age, physical appearance, and above all, fun.

Exhibit

The exhibit will take place from October 12th to November 12th, 2016 at the Galerie Occurrence (5455 avenue de Gaspé # 108). Abrazo will occupy the two rooms of the gallery: the hall will be dedicated to an exhibition of photographs, videos, and audio tapes that draw a parallel between the milongas of Buenos Aires and the ones of Montréal in an original scenography; the small hall will host an immersive and interactive installation.

Animation

Alongside the exhibit, an alternative tango show will be presented at the Rialto on October 13th as part of the 5th edition of the Phenomena Festival. At the launch of the exhibit on October 12th, milongueros will be invited to invade the ground floor of the 5455 de Gaspé. During the month of the exhibit, you can also attend introductory workshops to learn to tango, with round tables and even a session of abrazo!

D. Kimm and Caroline Hayeur would like to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.