Thursday, September 1 at 5PM
Join us for the premiere of an intimate, site-specific performance by Eiko Otake for the exhibition Beverly McIver: Full Circle. Artists Beverly McIver and Ishmael Houston-Jones will perform alongside Eiko within the exhibition, moving through the galleries and engaging with the artwork. The audience will be in the galleries amongst the performers for a truly special experience. There will be no seating available for this event, so please plan to be standing or walking for the duration of the performance.
Beverly McIver and Eiko Otake
Eiko Otake first became acquainted with Beverly McIver and her artwork in 2018. The rigorous self-reflection and impermanence of the body depicted in McIver’s paintings, as well as her vigorous brushstrokes, strongly resonated with Eiko. Shortly after, McIver visited Japan to meet Eiko’s mother, but her mother passed away just before McIver’s arrival. McIver was present as Eiko’s family tended to her mother’s body and prepared for the funeral, and she thoughtfully documented the cultural rituals surrounding death during her time in Japan. Throughout this process, McIver found that mourning and grief spans cultures, and although it may look slightly different, experiencing grief is a commonality amongst all cultures. McIver’s paintings depicting this intimate experience helped Eiko reflect more deeply about her mother’s death. McIver and Eiko have since created performances together—inspired by the work that McIver created from her time in Japan with Eiko and her family—including most recently at Duke University in 2019. Several of these paintings are included in the exhibition Beverly McIver: Full Circle.
The presentation of Eyes Closed/Eyes Open: A Performance by Eiko Otake was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This performance is in conjunction with Beverly McIver: Full Circle, additional support provided by National Endowment for the Arts.
Tickets: $30
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Link to Event