Tactile encounters: Somatic performance with objects of art

What happens in the encounter between a human performer and a three-dimensional textile artwork that seems to possess a body, presence and sense of being of its own? In this interview, visual artist Alexandra Deutsch and somatic movement artist Hiie Saumaa discuss their collaborative performances with Deutsch’s large-scale textile objects and the ways these objects influence movement, imagination, emotions and life stories. The conversation explores the role of the artist’s body in creating the artworks, the effect of somatic practices on artistic process and the impact of indoor and outdoor environments on performances with the objects. Fundamental ontological and ethical questions emerge from these encounters: Who are you? How do I approach you? How do I move with you?