The Healing Place is a durational collaboration between performers Imogen Huzel and Inka Pehkonen. Holding a one-arm handstand, Imogen draws Inka’s continuous movement onto a singlesheet of parchment that slowly unrolls throughout the performance. The work is shaped by mutual endurance. Accompanied by music, one body balances and draws while the the other’s physical journey explores circus and emotional extremes. The resulting scroll becomes a colourful reflection of their shared time together. Rather than following a fixed beginning or end, audiences are invited to explore the work on their own terms—staying for its full duration or passing through the space at their own pace. The physical narrative is accompanied by a series of interactive stations that invite the audience deeper into the work. These include a reading of I Sighed and Leave Came Out, a poem by Imogen Huzel; a collection of analogue macro photographs; and written reflections by both artists. The audience is free to engage with the performance in their own way. They may remain for the full hour, pause to experience individual elements, or simply pass through the space. A Healing Place is designed for environments that are alive and open, where audiences are encouraged to wander, linger and discover the work at their own pace. It is a layered performance of individuals honing their unique skills and connecting in their different forms of artistic expression to create one immersive experience for the audience. How the individual artists and collaborators work within the project: Imogen Huzel – Live Drawing Imogen's live artwork traces Inka's journey through the performance space across a continuously unravelling paper. Working with a variety of materials—including chalk pastel, watercolour, fingertip brushes, ink and wall paint rollers—she creates the most colourful visual element of the performance, contrasting with the otherwise restrained palette of skin tones, black, white and translucency. Throughout the performance, the drawing is gradually pulled forward by either Imogen or Inka, revealing fresh parchment for the work to continue. There is one uncompromising rule: every mark must be made while balancing in a handstand. Inka Pehkonen – Movement Inka is the moving body at the centre of the work. A professionally trained circus artist, she combines the precision and physicality of circus with the sensitivity and depth of her Butoh practice. Her movement shifts between abstract, introspective states and recognisable circus forms as the performance traces her emotional and physical journey over the course of an hour. She is also live filming the entire performance from the perspective of her eyes as a phone is taped to her. Orfea – Live Music Musician Orfea creates a live landscape that responds to Inka's movement while also offering cues for the performance to follow. It is a conversation between the two of them. The score shifts organically throughout the hour, making each performance unique and shaped by the exchange between sound, movement and drawing. Wang Consulting – Costume Design and styling We will collaborate with Joelle Laederach from Wang Consulting who creates garments that frame the performers as living works of art. The costumes are designed to accentuate movement while transforming the performers into otherworldly figures. The space Designed to inhabit rather than dominate a space, the work is best suited to intimate indoor and outdoor environments with character—whether through striking architecture, unexpected corners or a strong sense of place |
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