Ligia Lewis

study now steady

Bodies lie on the ground in twisted postures on the ground, resembling sculptures. Gradual, then sudden jerking movements release them from their stillness. Their twitches evolve into choreographed loops. From isolation, they form temporary communities: social sculptures shaped by repetition and memory.

Throughout the festival, the International DANCE Festival Munich and Haus der Kunst present the European premiere of study now steady, a performative installation by Ligia Lewis. Every day in the museum’s Südgalerie, performers enact ritualized choreographic patterns, exercises in repetition and endurance that tell stories of racism, violence, and resistance. Within this shared space, a heightened awareness emerges between performers and audience, confronting what it means to be subject to each other’s gaze.

Alongside the three-hour daily performances, study now steady also features two of Ligia Lewis’s video works. One is the film version of her performance A Plot, / A Scandal, which was shown at Tanzplattform Deutschland 2024. Shot in northern Italy, the video traces the ghosts of colonialism through the story of Lewis’s great-grandmother, Lolón Zapata. By exposing the violent ideologies of whiteness and property embedded in Enlightenment philosopher John Locke’s theories, the work highlights his entanglement in the transatlantic slave trade. Additionally, the video installation of deader than dead—the festival’s opening performance—will also be on view.

Tags:

Durational, Dance X Visual Art, Postcolonial Perspectives

Accessibility

Seating: There is no designated seating, and the audience is asked to move freely in the scenic space. Folding chairs are available on request.

For people with wheelchairs: The entrance to the museum is located on Prinzregenstraße and is accessible via a ramp. The ramp is 100 metres from the Königinstraße bus stop. Two disabled parking spaces are located behind the Haus der Kunst. The access road is between the Eisbach and the Haus der Kunst. We recommend coming accompanied to cover the distance from the car park to the entrance. A wheelchair as well as portable stools can be borrowed free of charge at the ticket office. A lift provides access to all floors. The museum shop and the Golden Bar café are on the same level as the entrance hall. Wheelchair accessible toilets are located on the ground floor. Detailed information on the width of stairs, lifts and the ramp can be found at Kultur barrierefrei München. Only available in German language.

Wheelchair tickets can be booked via festivalbuero@spielmotor.de and +49 89 2805607.

Location: Haus der Kunst
Prinzregentenstraße 1 80538 Munich

Installation Opening: May 24, 4 pm.

Performances: The performances take place during the opening days of Haus der Kunst (except June 1) from 5 to 8 pm.

Duration of performance: 180 minutes in three loops of one hour each, entry and exit is possible at any time.

© Liz Ligon

© Liz Ligon

© Liz Ligon

Team

Live studies by Ligia Lewis
Performance: Ligia Lewis, Justin F. Kennedy, Corey Scott-Gilbert, Boglárka Börcsök
Touring Manager: Godlive Lawani

Credits

study now steady is presented by International DANCE Festival München in cooperation with Haus der Kunst.

Originally commissioned by Manuela Moscoso, Executive Director and Chief Curator at CARA Center for Art, Research and Alliances.

Ort:

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Directions: Haus der Kunst, Prinzregentenstraße 1 80538 Munich