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Photo by Liz Ligon

Paul Maheke

A fire circle for a public hearing

June 28, 29 & 30, 2022
Starting daily at 7pm
Location

On the High Line at 14th Street

Paul Maheke is an artist working in performance, video, sculpture, and installation. His performances are predominantly based in dance and movement, often accompanied by poetic voice-overs or scripts; they explore the ways that bodies can act as archives of history and personal experience.

A fire circle for a public hearing develops Maheke’s ongoing engagement with the potential of the body as an archive; the performance addresses how history, memory, and identity are formed. In the work, three performers channel different characters as if possessed by ghostly entities. Their movements and dialogue explore hypervisibility and erasure as they play out in historical marginalization and contemporary political movements. On the High Line, Maheke brings this compelling performance to the US for the first time.

On the High Line, A fire circle for a public hearing is performed by Morgan “Emme” Bryant, Lucy Hollier, and Rafaelle Kennibol-Cox. Sound work by Sophie Mallett.

Organized by Melanie Kress, Curator of High Line Art.

See the performance:

Accessibility
The nearest entrances to the High Line are located at Gansevoort Street and at 14th Street. The nearest elevator is located at 14th Street near 10th Avenue.

We encourage all persons with disabilities to attend. To request additional information regarding accessibility or accommodations at a program, please contact Constanza Valenzuela (constanza.valenzuela@thehighline.org) at least five days in advance of the event. Program venues are accessible via wheelchair, and ASL interpretation can be arranged for the performance on Wednesday, June 28, 2022. Rain date on Thursday, June 29, 2022.

A fire circle for a public hearing was commissioned by Chisenhale Gallery, London, England and Vleeshal Centre for Contemporary Art, Middelburg, Netherlands.

Artist bio

Paul Maheke (b. 1985, Brive-la-Gaillarde, France) lives and works in Montpelier, France. His work has been shown in solo presentations at The Renaissance Society, Chicago, Illinois (2021); Collection Pinault, Paris, France (2021); Chisenhale Gallery, London, England (2019); Vleeshal Centre for Contemporary Art, Middelburg, Netherlands (2018); and South London Art Gallery, London, England (2016). He has participated in group exhibitions and festivals at institutions including ICA Miami, Florida (2019); Centre Pompidou, Paris, France (2018); Tate Modern, London, England (2017); and Serpentine Galleries, London, England (2016). He has been featured in major international exhibitions including Glasgow International, Scotland (2021); 58th Venice Biennale, Italy (2019); Baltic Triennial 13, Estonia (2019); and Manifesta 12, Palermo, Italy (2018).

Performers

Morgan “Emme” Bryant began studying ballet at the Shellman Dance Academy. It was there the foundation of technical training was instilled in her that prepared to her to attend institutions such as Alvin Ailey American dance Theater in the junior division, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Mason Gross School of the Arts program at Rutgers University where she attained her BFA in dance. Post college, Emme has been fortunate enough to have worked with artists Bill T. Jones, Lea Robinson, Kyle Marshall, and Oluwadamilare Ayorinde. She has also been affiliated with groups such as Rox Republic and BonBon Burlesque just to name a few. She is currently developing and sharing her artistic vision through movement, voice, and more. Her bounds are limitless.

Lucy Hollier is an NYC trombonist, composer, and teacher.  She is studying at Brooklyn College’s Performance And Interactive Media Arts (PIMA) MFA program and will be an upcoming Actionist Fellow with Social Practice CUNY.

Rafaelle Kennibol-Cox is a contemporary dancer born and raised in Brooklyn, NY currently based in Paris, France. Rafaelle is currently transitioning from the concert dance world to pursue movement direction for fashion shoots, film and musical artists.


Support

Lead Support, High Line Art
Amanda and Don Mullen

Major Support, High Line Art
Shelley Fox Aarons and Philip E. Aarons
The Brown Foundation, Inc.
Charina Endowment Fund

Project Support, High Line Art
Charlotte Feng Ford
Vivian and James Zelter

Additional Support, High Line Art
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

Public Support, High Line Art
High Line Art is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.