Making Space for Cultural Connection at Morrow Rianne Svelnis’ sharing of cross-disciplinary practices through Symbiotic Forms by Rachel Silver Maddock
As winter became spring and spring will inevitably turn into summer, Morrow – a cultural space opened by Dumb Instrument Dance in July 2020 – is host to a special new initiative that brings together artists in mutually beneficial, or symbiotic sharing of practices. Symbiotic Forms, envisioned and realized by Dumb Instrument Dance, makes three artists “Cultural Connectors” between February and August this year. The artists – Rianne Svelnis, Joyce Rosario and Marisa Gold – are given the opportunity to invite other artists, educators, and activists into processes of research, dialogue, and practice sharing, supported through 100 hours of space and funding for their collaborators. I was drawn to learn more about Symbiotic Forms because it uniquely puts the focus on the relational aspect of artmaking, rather than the creative product. This aligns with something I have felt in the slow return to “normal” this year – a new appreciation for how those in-person connections, in-studio or in passing, inform and inspire my own practice. The program is creating space for that invaluable exchange, expanding its scope outside of the dance community to reconceive of the sharing of cultural and artistic knowledge. In my conversation with Rianne Svelnis (who completed the bulk of her time at Morrow in February and March 2022), I found myself captivated by the intricacies of each of Rianne’s different projects, from pulp painting to storytelling, and imagining each creative process layering upon the last in the space at Morrow.
Dance Central Spring 2022
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