Lacuna
Lacuna by Teo Ala-Ruona is an autofictional body horror performance that invites the audience into a void inside the performer's body. There, ghostly memories are composed into a verbal and musical incantation.
"Lacuna" means an opening or a gap. For Ala-Ruona, the word's interpretation is twofold. It is both a ghost - a parasitic memory of his body before transition - while on the other hand a blissful realm free of trauma. Images and experiences emerging from the past are conjured on stage through gestures, words, and screaming, opening a portal into the artist's interiors.
Images, visions and experiences from the past are conjured up on stage through movement, words and screams, and a portal is opened into the performer's interior - a kind of carnal abyss.
Performance: Teo Ala-Ruona
Text: Teo Ala-Ruona and Tuukka Haapakorpi
Sound design and composition: Tuukka Haapakorpi
Dramaturgy: Ami Karvonen
Light and spatial design: Sofia Palillo
Production: Ehkä-production, Mad House Helsinki and Teo Ala-Ruona
Supported by: Arts Promotion Centre Finland
Artistic dialogue: Camille Auer
Premiere: 3.12.2021 XS festival / Contemporary art space Kutomo, Turku
Language: English
Duration: approx. 50 min
Content notes: The performance mentions references to eating disorder, features partial nudity and loud sound.
Teo Ala-Ruona
Teo Ala-Ruona is an interdisciplinary artist based in Helsinki, working within the expanded field of performance. In his work, he experiments with the possibilities of somatic fiction to influence our perceptions of the human body, exploring the interplay between linguistic, semiotic, and biological existence, while engaging with themes of techno-trans-masculinity and eco-normative narratives of "naturalness".
His work derives enjoyment from the absurd and the transgressive, while carefully crafting choreographed audience engagement, deeply practiced performers' techniques, and emotional and psychological tension. Ala-Ruona's work is strongly connected to theory, and he uses the performing body in his art as a reflective surface for various societal, sociopolitical, and historical influences of power structures.
Ala-Ruona's work has recently been shown in Performa Biennial (USA), The Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art (LT), The Finnish National Gallery Kiasma (FI), The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London (UK), Sequences festival (FI) and Toaster (DK). In the spring 2025 he will show new work in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, in the Nordic Countries Pavilion.
Information about accessibility:
Espai 13 is accessible for wheelchairs and people with reduced mobility via an elevator located on the ground floor of the Joan Miró Foundation.
The elevator dimensions are 110 cm (width) x 140 cm (depth) x 200 cm (height). The elevator exit is practical and there is no height difference between it and the performance space. You can check the location of the elevators at this link.
The entrance door to Espai 13 is double, of 170 cm x 220 cm.
Once inside the space, the staff of fundació Joan Miró will provide an appropriate space for those who require it. Chairs to sit and wheelchairs will also be available upon request.
There will be no sign language interpretation for deaf people or live audio description for people with reduced vision.
The volume of the performance will be high with some distortions. As for the lighting, the space will be mostly dark with intermittent overhead light points.
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Duration
50 minutes
Place
Espai 13
Dates
Saturday 25 January 2025, at 5 p.m.
Price
Free entrance (ticket to the museum not included)
Reservations
Limited capacity. Prior registration is required.
