Morphia Series
Helen Herbertson & Ben Cobham (Australia)
At the intersection of darkness and spatial depth lies Melbourne-based Helen Herbertson and Ben Cobham’s Morphia Series. A set of visual haikus, inspired by Morpheus, son of Hypnos and the god of dreams, this intimate performance for audiences of 12 people at a time hovers in a phantasmal dream world.
Design Concept: Ben Cobham & Helen Herbertson
Performance, Text, Sound Concept: Helen Herbertson
Light: Ben Cobham
Morsels: John Salisbury
Additional performance: Michelle Heaven
“…a beautifully conceived piece…which set a high standard in uncompromisingly abstract, yet accessible work.” —The Guardian
18 minutes running time
Co-presented by Baryshnikov Arts Center and Performance Space 122
Jan 12 – 7pm, 7:45pm & 8:30pm
Jan 13 – 7pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm, 9:15pm & 10pm
Jan 14 – 7pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm, 9:15pm & 10pm
Jan 15 – 7pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm, 9:15pm & 10pm
Jan 16 – 6pm, 6:45pm & 7:30pm
Howard Gilman Performance Space, Baryshnikov Arts Center,
450 West 37th Street, Manhattan
$20
▸▸ Pass Holders Log in to redeem
Melbourne based Helen Herbertson and Ben Cobham share a 20-year work history, as well as extensive individual experience across the scope of the arts profession as active creative participants, in management, design, production and education. Their creative partnership, fueled by a mutual interest in the intersection of light, body and the built form, has yielded an array of groundbreaking and award winning work.
“We are interested in providing the audience with visceral entry points to the work, stimulating an imaginative response and the extremities of the viewer’s perception. In creating a cohesive aesthetic for each new project, we work slowly and in tandem, with space for each creative interest to lead the process with a particular detailed focus. Working this way we find the greater the sum of the parts and the richer the outcome.”
Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) is the realization of a long-held vision by artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov who sought to build an arts center in Manhattan that would serve as a gathering place for artists from all disciplines. BAC’s opening in 2005 heralded the launch of this mission, establishing a thriving creative laboratory and performance space for artists from around the world. BAC’s activities encompass a robust residency program augmented by a range of professional services, including commissions of new work, as well as the presentation of performances by artists at varying stages of their careers. In tandem with its commitment to supporting artists, BAC is dedicated to building audiences for the arts by presenting contemporary, innovative work at affordable ticket prices. For more information, please visit www.bacnyc.org.
Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), located in the Hudson Yards neighborhood on Manhattan’s far West Side, is accessible by the A/C/E and 1/2/3 subway lines. Just a few blocks from the northern end of the High Line, BAC is at the center of a culturally vibrant neighborhood, home to an array of art galleries, theater companies, and shopping destinations. Visitors to BAC can choose from a variety of restaurants, bars, and cafés along 9th Avenue between 34th and 42nd streets.
Featured image by Rachelle Roberts
Morphia Series is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and by the Faculty of VCA & MCM, University of Melbourne. This presentation has been supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.