Shen Wei - Re-Turn

The appearance in Reggio Emilia of the choreographer, director, dancer, painter and designer Shen Wei, miraculously poised between East and West, will be a return (re-turn) to the city that hosted him in 2009.

The project, which is part of the Aperto Festival 2011 programme devoted to contemporary productions, sees the Fondazione I Teatri alongside the Collezione Maramotti and Max Mara hosting a site-specific dance performance in the galleries of the Collezione Maramotti, the European premieres of Near the Terrace, and of 0-11 at the Teatro Valli (22nd October) and a conversation between the artist himself and the journalist from la Repubblica Leonetta Bentivoglio.

In his new work, created specifically for the Collezione Maramotti, Shen Wei shifts his focus from the past glories of the sculptures at the Metropolitan Museum to the contemporary artworks exhibited at the Collezione Maramotti.

During his first visit to the Collection in 2009, Shen Wei was inspired by the strong and daring aesthetic impact of the Collection, whose "works look the future fearlessly in the eye, and at other times show anxiety and perplexity for the unknown"— alluding to the uncertainty and sense of inquiry aroused by contemporary art. The Collection is also an ideal venue, capable of stimulating a potential and new artistic milieu for Shen Wei.

In this new production, Shen Wei will shift the spectators' vision from the perspective typical of the visitor, and make them witness and participate in a dialogue that thrives on the exchange of energies between the dancers and the artworks. Proceeding in this way, Shen Wei intends to reveal a new frame of reference, a new setting in which visitors can consider the works of contemporary art from a new and personal perspective.

At the Teatro Valli, the Chinese-born artist will be presenting the European premiere of Near the Terrace, created in 2000, during which time he was studying everyday movements and exploring their connection with the different sensibilities of dance and performance techniques.

Another European premiere is the solo 0-11 taken from Limited States, the artist's latest work, presented in July 2011 at the American Dance Festival and created for Sara Procopio, one of the dancers in the company, to celebrate her 11 years with Shen Wei Dance Arts.

Re- (Part III), the third piece of choreography to be performed was inspired by a reflection on China.

For Shen Wei this is part of a vortex of creativity: on 20th October at 7 pm at the Maramotti Collection, Leonetta Bentivoglio, critic and journalist for la Repubblica, will meet this artist with an all-round vision of art, who combines painting and dance, choreography and calligraphy, East and West, as a result of his broad training that is the driving force of his relationship with live creation—on stage, on canvas and in life.

Shen Wei grew up in China. In 1995 he moved to New York and in 2000 he founded Shen Wei Dance Arts, one of the most interesting groups on the international dance scene.

Re-Turn. Artistic Vision of Shen Wei in association with the Collezione Maramotti and Max Mara

21st October, 4.30 pm and 8.30 pm 23rd October, 3 pm and 8.30 pm Collezione Maramotti Site specific performance artworks Shen Wei Dance Arts

22nd October, 8.30 pm Teatro Valli Near the Terrace/European premiere 0-11 / European premiere Re- (Part III) Shen Wei Dance Arts

Concept and choreography: Shen Wei

Re-Turn.
Artistic Vision of Shen Wei

Collezione Maramotti:
21.10.2011, 16:30 Uhr und 18:30 Uhr
23.10.2011 15:00 Uhr und 18:30 Uhr
Shen Wei Dance Arts

Teatro Valli
22.10.2011, 18:30 Uhr
Site specific performance artworks
Shen Wei Dance Arts