In No Time

"This project is one that Polly and I developed as a concept--to use the exhibition space as a platform for a choreographic installation and an open working studio. This brings to life the exhibition space in a fashion that defies the traditions of scheduled performance-based events.  The model is exhibition as open studio, where Motley combines live performance, installation, exhibition of artifacts and public participation in a continually evolving and breathing exhibit. This type of exhibition is at the forefront in contemporary curatorial practice, and is generous and participatory from a public standpoint."

Rachel Moore, Director, Helen Day Art Center  

Collaborators included dancers Diane Madden, Lisa Nelson, John Jasperse, Stacy Spence, Shelley Senter, Avi Waring, Willow Wonder and Paul Besaw, composers Sean Clute and John King, video artist Molly Davies, and video programmer and cameraman, Philip Roy.

The focus of this “installation of artists” were the ideas of Motley’s 30+ year career that continued to stimulate questions and experiments. In mining these artistic threads, the team of regional and national artists presented the processes used to make new inter-disciplinary performance.

In No Time included open “studio-in-the-gallery” process, intermedia performances, talks with the public, lecture-demonstrations and an exhibit of video, costumes, choreographic scores and contextualizing print. These activities presented Motley's work in relation to  other contemporary and historical ideas in dance, video and installation art. Motley’s choreography for Count 25 (1987), Drawing From the Body (1999), Dancing the Numbers (2004), and Go Tell Aunt Rhodie (2011) were juxtaposed to make new performances. In No Time presented the creative processes of devising maps and scores, and composing the interplay between projected video images and live performance.

The compositional rigor, content and poetics of In No Time created a meditation on impermanence.  “Water flowing underground,”  “the beauty of the world is enough” and the graceful actions of ordinary life were the currents of In No Time.

A companion essay by Sara Smith was integral to the project. She worked with Motley and curator, Rachel Moore, to enhance our understanding of experimental performance-making.