Jérôme Bel

Minimalism and precision, humour and sim-plicity are the ingredients of Jérôme Bel’s 1997 creation Shirtologie. The choreographer questions scenic representation as much as the underlying motives of a dance piece. In this solo, the interpreter invites the audience to observe a body engaged in the simple action of taking off a series of t-shirts. The succession of logos, messages and images reveals information that is immediately read, comprehended, and processed by the spectators. Theatrically, the parade of clothing reforms reality, each layer telling its own little story. What happens when, faced with a performer, a group recounts itself? Bel’s pared-down work trains the spotlight on the issues at play when a community of singular gazes produces meaning. By peeling away layers, Bel questions the way we receive what is pre-sented on a stage.

Jérôme Bel is a French choreographer who scrutinises the use of choreographic language by producing minimalist shapes that offer up a critical view of what makes a show or perfor-mance and what comes into play when they are received. This issue has been the essence of Bel’s creations since the nineties (nom donné par l’auteur, Jérôme Bel, Shirtologie). His series of portraits also looks at dance as experienced by dancers, including Véronique Doisneau, Cédric Andrieux, and Xiao Ke.