Synopsis
A choreography for the camera asking how the relation of friendship is inferred and embodied through proxies such as touch and gestures, and how it takes a unique and fluid form within a given group.
Artistic Statement
A language that is felt is a long-term research project focused on the historical, visual and written accounts of friendship between women. The first outcome of this period of research is this video, produced in collaboration with WET (https://wetfilm.org/2023/11/14/raluca-croitoru-a-language-that-is-felt/).
The video approaches friendship between women as a site of political potential and as a dynamic and improvisational process that requires continuous self-pluralization and an embrace of ambivalence and improbability.
With a background in performance and movement practices, I synthesized my investigations into a choreography for the camera, asking how the relation of friendship is inferred and embodied through proxies such as touch and gestures, how it takes a unique and fluid form within a given group.
The work, and especially the set and the props, riffs on Svetlana Boym’s question ‘what is the scenography of friendship?’. My working methods mirror the subject matter, with a dense web of collaborators involved in camerawork, correspondence, prop design and performance of the work.
Concept and directing: Raluca Croitoru
Performers and collaborators: Myriam Méret and Paulina Vogel
Camera: Marta Hryniuk
Lights: Nick Thomas
Sound recording: Sophie Bates
Sound mixing: Nick Thomas
Editing: Raluca Croitoru with assistance from WET, Tracy Hanna and Dan Fogarty
Scenography: Raluca Croitoru with assistance from Dan Fogarty
Costumes: Muse Um
Props: Elena Butică
Assistance on set and catering : Tracy Hanna and Dan Fogarty
Music: Ono mambo haiku by Domenique Dumont
Thank you Schiecentrale and Rotterlight
Supported by Mondriaan Funds and Gemente Rotterdam
Huge thanks to WET for their longterm commitment, genuine and loving support and guidance, and tremendous skills and dedication.
Additional thanks to: Adina Orboi, Jurriaan Baggerman, Lila Athanasiadou, Carmen José, Lili Huston-Herterich, Merve Kılıçer, Yoga Vidya Teacher Training, Maike Hemmers, Sol Archer and Cannach Macbride