Re-arrangement of Priorities #25 (Dance)

During the Autumn Gather Together on Saturday September 19, art and solidarity collective Rainbow Soulclub will present a series of three new works created during their ploegendienst (residency).

Rainbow Soulclub:
“These are works we have wanted to make or experiment with for some time, but for which there was no time, space, or simply no focus. Or they are earlier works that still needed further development, but never got around to because the next thing was already waiting around the corner. The title Re-arrangement of Priorities was conceived in 2017 by Rainbow Soulclub member Ebby Addo. Since 2017, we have used the title for all our presentations, because it is still relevant and we never really came up with a better one. Rearranging priorities is something we do every day.

Both the personal lives of the members and the Rainbow Soulclub schedule have been quite full in recent years. There have been legal battles over residence permits, illness and bereavement, but also positive things such as getting a first home, a passport, or reconnecting with long-lost family. Sometimes real life takes precedence over art.

At Plaatsmaken, we made a series of 12 hand-painted and printed cotton cloths that together form an empty yearly calendar, with one cloth for each month.

The cloths are multifunctional and can be used as desired: as a piece of clothing, picnic blanket, scarf, curtain, or simply pinned to the wall as a calendar. The empty calendar underscores the desire not to be dictated by circumstances, but to take control of one’s own schedule. Something Rainbow Soulclub members regularly have to contend with.

The cloths are made from used bed sheets, a classic ‘material’ for banners used during demonstrations. With these, we are demonstrating, in a modest way, for freedom of time.

Perry Person, one of the Rainbow Soulclub members, is a dancer by origin. In 1980, he participated in the World Disco Dancing Championships in London. He creates his own dance steps and choreographies, and has developed a notation system for music as well as one for dance. During the work period at Plaatsmaken, he designed dance shirts and dance suits. The choreography is printed on the front of the shirt and is never visible to the dancer wearing it. Ultimately, the dance depicted on it is something you have to ‘know and feel from within’. (PP)

During the Autumn Gather Together there will be a dance-in with Perry, where everyone is invited to wear the shirts and dance suits.

In the presentation, two large paper fans slowly rotate in the space. The fans are made up of texts and drawings from the Rainbow Soulclub archive, meticulously folded into fans. They have a meditative effect, bringing coolness and silence to visitors to the exhibition. The work is based on an earlier piece from 2009.

The presentation is illuminated by coconut lamps from the Rainbow Soulclub archive: a spotlight on an empty calendar, paper fans, and personal dance suits. On freedom, calm, joy, and collaboration.”

This ploegendienst and the Herfstsamenscholing are part of the programme H0ha by Sunflower Soup.

Image and text: Rainbow Soulclub