Artist Research: Gideon Obarzanek, Previous Director Chunky Move
"Working through diverse medias including new technologies, director Obarzanek talks to Cristiane Bouger about Glow [a work they define as a biotech fiction, in which the movements of the dancer generate a real-time light and graphics response from a motion-tracking soft ware] and the contemporary dance scene in Australia.
Cristiane Bouger: Many of your works seem to unfold existential issues fusing movement and new technologies. How have you developed this interest?
Gideon Obarzanek: I am interested in different ways of seeing or perceiving the body and therefore possibly gaining new insight about ourselves. More often however it results in seeing something already known or familiar in anew way. My work actually splits into two streams, one with new technology and the other with almost no technology, or very old and familiar stage technologies like curtains and revolving stages. In these low-tech productions I often work with a combination of actors and dancers and the results are much more theatrical, often incorporating text and characters."
"From this period I had documented a detailed menu of possibilities between the machine system and a single body. I wanted to see the inherent aesthetic and kinetic qualities of the machine. While most of the relationships resulted in quite spectacular visual outcomes, on their own they were quickly reduced to beautiful gimmicks."
"The main considerations [became] things that actively came out of the body, what the body left behind, and light and image that were outside pressing onto or surrounding the body. The idea was that the body is really not separated from the space around it, that there is a constant exchange and influence going on."
"The paradox about Glow for me is that while it uses very sophisticated interactive technology the work is really not about technology or our relation-ship to it. It is deeply human from beginning to end. The journey of the work can be seen as one of evolving, a sense of coming into one’s own awareness."
Bouger, C. (2012). Glow: An interview with Gideon Obarzanek. In Theatre and Performance Design, 45, pp. 301-306. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203124291-45/glow-cristiane-bouger
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"Gideon Obarzanek (b. 1966), choreographer, director and curator, studied at the Australian Ballet School, choreographing his first piece there in 1987. Having joined the Queensland Ballet as a dancer, he continued to create works including Mr Crowther and the Wallflower (1989). Moving to the Sydney Dance Company, he made Sleep No More in 1991 before becoming an independent choreographer. In 1995 he co-founded Chunky Move, which became Victoria's official contemporary dance company. Obarzanek's work, embracing installations, site-specific performance and video, is performed around the world."
My Gideon! (in Dark Art Dueling mode, HL Ravenclaw Mc)
I mean, I believe he has some Slytherin in him as well(oops!), but he's brilliant and intelligent in many ways, which is why he got sorted in Ravenclaw. Also, not going to lie or anything but his favorite spell is Avada Kadavra 😱🤣🤪(Gideon no!)
I wanted to make a fun background with the vibe of the TV show The Boys👌🏽 (if you've ever seen it), and it turned out that I really like it! Along with the adding of the ray of magical light 🪄⚡️.
This one is original version without the Avada Kadavra green light 🙈
And here's an idea for Gideon's combat theme song, if the main character has one:
Just a quick sketching with this adorable imaginary scene!
I've always imagined that Pearlie accidently drank a potion and reverted to her child form, and that Gideon had to act like a true "daddy" 👨🏻to look after and care for her before she changed again. I believe that would be quite cute, and our proud Ravenclaw would make an excellent parent. 🥹💙
This is the instant at which Gideon chose power…the moment his dark side became stronger… and his hunger for power😈 (Evil ending... I always think he would choose to walk down this path)
Dang...I have so many ideas now about Dark! Gideon...* (✽´ཫ`✽)
While mostly everyone is crazy about Sebastian & Ominis, I think there’s my own champion here 😂
Okay I know it’s weird to ship your own MC together but I feel like Gideon (My Ravenclaw MC)is the exact perfect match for Pearlie (My Hufflepuff MC)😜 ( I am probably gonna ship them to death…!jk) I’ll introduce his lore more later… I promise 😉 ( Well I suppose to work at the time 😝)
Doesn’t him look adorable & amazing/striking some way? 💙 He is literally my handsome boi <3