Alexis Blake's Crack Nerve Boogie Swerve Premieres in Berlin with Shattering Performance
From January 27 to 29, 2023, Alexis Blake, an artist based in Amsterdam, showcased her performance piece titled Crack Nerve Boogie Swerve at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin. A recipient of the 2021 Prix de Rome, Blake investigates the portrayal of bodies, focusing on women and queer identities through a blend of visual art, dance, and performance. The choreography featured six female dancers clad in upcycled sportswear, interacting with glass panels to delve into themes of resistance and liberation. Accompanied by an electronic score from DJ mobilegirl and sounds from researcher Stefanie Egedy, the performance involved striking glass with a hammer and breaking panels with metal footwear, symbolizing social barriers and portraying destruction as a means of catharsis while emphasizing both fragility and resilience.
Key facts
- Alexis Blake is the 2021 winner of the Prix de Rome
- Crack Nerve Boogie Swerve (2019–) had its German debut in Berlin
- The performance ran from January 27 to 29, 2023 at KW Institute for Contemporary Art
- Six female performers executed choreography in upcycled sportswear
- The installation featured rectangular sheets of glass that were attacked and cracked
- Sound design included contributions from DJ mobilegirl and researcher Stefanie Egedy
- Percussionist Sofia Borges performed with drumsticks on the glass panels
- The work explores resistance, liberation, and representations of women and queer bodies
Entities
Artists
- Alexis Blake
- DJ mobilegirl
- Stefanie Egedy
- Sofia Borges
- Věra Ondrašíková
- Pipilotti Rist
Institutions
- KW Institute for Contemporary Art
- Prix de Rome
Locations
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Berlin
- Germany
- Czech Republic