jakob&imani

With support from the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance, Baryshnikov Arts premiered jakob & imani, a performance art piece created by choreographer Imani Gaudin and visual artist Jakob Vitale. Exploring the symbiotic relationship between graffiti and contemporary dance, this site-specific work investigates how movement shapes the perceived meaning of graffiti art, and conversely, how the visual elements of graffiti influence the dancer’s physical expression. Through improvisation and audience interaction, jakob & imani utilizes the large open space of Bella Abzug Park as the location for exploration around a central graffiti mural. This performance is a 6-hour durational work that took place throughout the day of October 3, 2024, and was presented free of charge.

2024

Concept and direction

Imani Gaudin & Jakob Vitale

Performers

Imani Gaudin, Marcus Sajeant, Jakob Vitale

Set Construction

Louis James Woodword, Dyer Rhoads, & Jakob Vitale

Set Design

Imani Gaudin & Jakob Vitale

Sound Score

Imani Gaudin

Costume Styling

Imani Gaudin and Jakob Vitale

Photography & Videography

Sinematic Studios, David Plakke Media

Premiere

Bella Abzug Park — New York, NY

Commissioned by

Baryshnikov Arts with support from Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance

One day Jakob and I set up a camera, went up the hill and each did our thing; he paint and I dance. From there, we chose to make a spectacle out of it.
— Imani Gaudin

SUPPORT GAUDANSE

SUPPORT GAUDANSE

Support gaudanse by donating today.

Previous
Previous

obinrin 2024

Next
Next

二時二分(2:02)2021