Celestial
Step into a world of transcendence as Celestial reimagines angels as heralds of the queer extraordinary. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting, this captivating performance delves into the timeless nature and ethereal essence of angels' timeless nature beyond binary forms of gender and sexuality. In Celestial, angels transcend the boundaries of human existence, emerging as radiant symbols of light.
Bastin draws inspiration from Renaissance masters’ to reinterpret angels as messengers of the queer extraordinary, envisioning new forms of gender and sexuality and challenging societal norms through innovative use of scale and light.
This dance research project has been evolving since 2022, public outcomes include workshops, talks and performances.
Celestial is at a dynamic phase of creative development, poised to expand its ensemble to include 18 dancers in 2024. Celestial has been previously supported by Dancehouse, Lucy Guerin Inc, Temperance Hall, the Villa Lena Foundation (IT) and Critical Path.
The conceptual exploration of "Celestial" unfolds as a narrative of 18 queer angels, engaging in an epic operatic tale set in paradise. With wings fluttering and hands clasped at the heart, the dancers embody unique tasks, weaving together tales of debauchery and challenging queer, camp, and uncanny obstacles. Bastin's choreographic vision, situated at the convergence of conceptual art and genre-breaking dance, seeks redemption from shame, striving for the exaltation of queer humanity as messengers of the unknown.
Drawing on the history of the Renaissance and religious paintings from the era, “Celestial” speaks to Florence and Tuscany as an epicentre of homosexual activity in the 15th and 16th century. “Celestial” thinks deeply about histories of queer subversion, deploying religious iconography from a historic queer Renaissance to reconsider our contemporary moment.
“Celestial” pushes the limits of queer subversion, challenging the prevailing norms we have inherited from religious morality and classical western art forms, and acknowledging a half-millennia of resistance.
Gallery Performance at Bus Projects
Celestial is led by Lead Artist & Choreographer - Zoë Bastin and includes Composer - Grace Ferguson, Writer/ Creative Correspondent - Jo Bragg, Dancers -Al Jefimenko, Alexandra Dobson, Val Emerald, Paris Robinson, Rachel Mackie, Iris Elgar, Ashlee Barton, Lui Edeilson, Dramaturg - Philipa Rothfield and Advisor/Outside Eye - Helen Grogan of Open Practice Studio