blackmilk

Willemse appropriates various forms of gestural and expressive movement and reflects on how these are interpreted. Precise hand gestures – a choreographic element of the formation dances performed by Trompoppies (Afrikaans for ‘drum majorettes in uniform’) – are linked with the melodramatic poses of white starlets and gestures typically associated with Black rap stars.

blackmilk intervenes in the representation of Black masculinity through the medium of performance, opening it up to a different kind of complexity and sensitivity, which he describes as ‘black male melancholia’.

With magnificent sound, striking theatrical effects and a dance that oscillates between virtuosity and despair, this solo is a haunting and tension-filled work that raises questions about the relationship between art and its reception, the conventions of artistic enjoyment and sovereignty.

Note:

There are periods of loud music, though not painfully so; the bass is noticeable. The subwoofer signal is routed to all four speakers. Stroboscopic lighting and darkness are used.