ARTISTS STATEMENT
We, Christine Shallenberg and Aurora Tabar, are two mother artists. At a time when women’s rights are under attack, we reflect on the exuberance and banality of our chosen motherhood. We seek to understand ourselves and the altered state of our lives through the making of this work. We seek to understand how mothering itself can be a radical act, an expression of love and nurturing that extends beyond our bodies and those of our children and into our community and the world. We weave together dance, projection, and text fragments about our experience. Our sources of inspiration include mothering practices of wild animals, everyday gestures of caregiving, and stories from our daily lives and those of other mothers. The performance is an attempt to liberate the beauty and struggle of caregiving from private space to public forum. We need that and we wonder if others do too. .
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Aurora Tabar is a performer, occupational therapist, and multi-tasking mom. Her professional and creative practices examine the process of healing and the potential for transformation. Most recently Aurora collaborated with members of WATCHTOWER (Rosé Hernandez, Ginger Krebs, Bryan Saner, and Sara Zalek) during a residency at Roman Susan Gallery. Aurora has presented solo and collaborative performances across Chicago including at Elastic Arts Foundation, Prop Theater, Links Hall, and High Concept Laboratories. As a special educator, Aurora is committed to inclusion and helping students build functional skills that they can carry into the future. She lives on the west side of Chicago with her partner, two adorable kiddos, and a cohort of cats. Christine Shallenberg is a teaching artist and mom. Her work ranges in mode from electronic textiles to light and sound installations to participatory choreographies for audiences (and sometimes her child). Her long-time collaboration with Jenn Cooper, JCSpaceRadio, engaged in a casually critical dialogue with frequencies through workshops, performances and interactive installations. Her work has been seen at Links Hall, High Concept Laboratories, Experimental Sound Studio, Hume Gallery, Tritriangle and No Nation in Chicago, as well as Movement Research, Galapagos Art Center, Williamsburg Arts Nexus, and Triskelion Arts in NYC. She also worked as the Lighting Designer for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for whom she designed Second Hand, Antic Meet, Nearly 902 and more than 30 unique Event performances seen around the world. She continues to design for performance with Every house has a door. https://www.instagram.com/xtine222
© Christine Shallenberg and Aurora Tabar