The Geological Self: A Visceral Journey in Il Mio Corpo è (Come) Un Monte (My body is like a mountain)
Collettivo EFFE’s Il Mio Corpo è (Come) Un Monte, performed at the Valletta Campus Theatre as a closing act for the Malta International Arts Festival, presented a captivating and often visceral exploration of the human body’s profound connection to the natural landscape. From the outset, the experience was carefully curated, beginning with a pre-show display of images that were taken during a participatory project held on the 20th of June. These photographs, showcasing selected local dancers and performers seamlessly integrating with Malta’s unique rock formations, effectively set a thematic precedent for the immersive journey that awaited the audience.
Upon entering the theatre, the meticulously crafted set immediately impressed. A linear arrangement of dimly lit rocks, alongside a performer engaged with a looped projection of the images that were shown outside, established an austere yet compelling aesthetic. The presence of two large, central rocks, with a performer posed, in a seated position against one with their back to the audience, underscored the performance’s core dialogue between human form and geological matter. The live creation of the soundscape, emanating from another performer’s station, promised an organic and responsive auditory experience.
The performance commenced with Daniele Giacometti, the performer and video artist in charge of handling the live video feed, adjusting the camera to create a close-up view of the rock pile. This live camera feed was projected, providing the audience with an intimate view of the formation. The dancer in the middle, Lidia Luciani, then began to move slowly, lifting the off-centre rock and adding it to the linear pile. The subsequent movement, with the dancer’s outstretched arm casting dynamic shadows across the rocks, skillfully wove together live action and projected imagery, blurring the lines between body and environment. The echoing of the titular phrase, “like a mountain,” as the dancer ascended and reposed on the central rock, solidified the conceptual bedrock of the piece. As the dancer approached the projections, the audience was presented with an image of the rocks creating a pattern over the dancer’s body. The words “like a mountain” echoed as the dancer made their way to the centrally placed rock and lay upon it. An almost metamorphic effect unfolded as the dancer’s body shifted and moved into a standing position atop the rock. There was a profound rawness to the dancer, who was mostly naked, striving to maintain balance on the rock whilst executing a series of rigid movements, including isolated shoulder work. The warm red lights illuminating these movements and the transformation from a reclining to a standing posture contributed to a blurry image projected onto the stage, resembling a heat map. This image was being simultaneously recorded and projected live via the camera feed.
A pivotal shift occurred with the abrupt flash of light from the camera, disrupting the solemnity and drawing attention to the stark reality of the human form. The projected close-ups, revealing every minute detail of the dancer’s skin – the freckles, bruises, cuts, and even specks of dust – were both unflinching and profoundly humanising. The subsequent amplification of pulse and the subtle ‘pixelated glitches’ served not as technical flaws but as deliberate choices, reinforcing the vulnerability and authenticity of the live body under scrutiny.
A bright spot that sliced through the accustomed low lighting, shining directly onto the dancer, shifted the audience’s attention solely to the dancer, signifying another section within the performance. Tension palpably built within the dancer’s body, and the sounds created by the rocks emphasised the tension visible in the movements, creating an almost bone-breaking imagery. The rock-generated sound intensified as the dancer moved towards the back of the stage, finally settling into a seated position with their back to the audience. As the dancer was moving upstage, the use of a low backlight, strobe lighting, and dust emanating from the rubble thrown onto the rocks effectively created a scene that mimicked a storm and yet powerfully showcased nature’s force. Water dripped onto the dancer’s back, while the other performer complemented this moment by manipulating the rocks and adding more rubble, adding to the soundscape, which resembled a storm. The dancer then unfolded from the seated position and proceeded to walk towards and lie face down on the pile of rocks. This moment of stillness, accompanied by a ‘wind-like soundscape,’ prompted contemplation of an ending. However, the subsequent placement of rocks directly onto the dancer’s body, and the subsequent close-up revealing the synchronised breathing of the dancer and the subtle movement of the rocks offered a profound statement on interconnectedness. The inevitable crumbling of the formation, due to the dancer’s intensified breath, powerfully re-centred the audience’s focus on the living body. The ‘reawakening from the earth’ and the dancer’s emergence into a series of floorwork, culminating in a camera-projected ‘opening of eyes,’ suggested a profound sense of renewal and resilience.
While the preceding graceful sequences of the dancer emerging from beneath the pile of rocks built a powerful and deeply affecting narrative, the conclusion, marked by the appearance of the words ‘processing…’ to then reveal a long exposure ‘moving yet still’ photograph, felt somewhat out of place deviating from the rawness that was built through the evening. This digital interjection, though perhaps intended to reflect contemporary media, regrettably disrupted the raw, organic solemnity that the dancer had so painstakingly cultivated. However, despite this minor dissonance in the very final moments, Il Mio Corpo è (Come) Un Monte stands as a compelling and richly evocative piece of performance art, successfully translating a profound philosophical concept into a captivating and visceral theatrical experience.
