Issac Julien and Russell Maliphant

Isaac Julien and Russell Maliphant, “Cast No Shadow”
i was not familiar with russell malipant’s work enough to understand why a collaboration between him and julien would make sense. but im familiar with julien’s work, so the idea of a performance work with his films, was intriguing.

i remember the first time i saw a julien film, it was part of a collection of films from the New Museum of Contemporary Art. i don’t remember the title but the work immediately struck a chord.

“Cast No Shadow” a commissioned work of Performa 07, Dance Umbrella and Sadler’s Wells, festured three Julien films: True North (2004) - a story of Matthew Henson, the African American explorer, now considered the first man to set foot on the North Pole; Fantome Afrique (2005) filmed in the capital city of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougo, the heart of the african film scene; and Small Boats (2007) a new film, about the crossing of African immigrants across the Mediterranean to Europe. i was absorbed by the films i can’t say the same for the dance work.

honestly, it was hard to stay with the movement; the dance felt more like a distraction. i just didn't understand what was happening and why. fortunately though the dancers were beautiful movers, just enough to keep my attention. 

but i kept thinking, "what's wrong here?" "what should a live performance of/with julien films look and feel like?" i’m not sure, but there was something fundamentally wrong and the live performance just did not match the vibrancy of the films. 

yet, i’m glad i saw it… to see this kind of work broadens my sense of what’s possible to see and experience...it is inspiring to see.