Faustin Linyekula: My Body, My Archive

Faustin Linyekula is a contemporary dancer and choreographer whose style incorporates the quick, syncopated rhythms of the West African dance style of Ndombolo. Linyekula’s focus is on notions of loss, memory and the legacies of war and terror; exploring the fear associated with violent conflict and its debilitating effect on communities, he expresses the affective qualities of lived and shared experiences through movement.

The current work, part of the Sharjah Biennial 15 performance programme, is co-produced by Théâtre National de la danse, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne; it attempts to unearth the suppressed stories of the Congolese village he has been working with. Local artist Gbaga sculpts the missing women of Linyekula’s maternal clan; bringing the sculptures to the stage, Linyekula summons, converses and dances with their spirits.

This performance is free to attend, but advance booking is required.