Daniel Kok + Luke George
Still Lives is a performance-installation series that captures (with ropes) significant moments or movement in relation to specific cultural contexts. Each edition of Still Lives is a durational, site-responsive and context-specific process of binding cultural objects in their place. This allows new conversations to emerge and unveils narratives about local history, political tensions, social connections and personal attachments. So far, the series has included:
Still Lives: Melbourne
Presented at National Gallery of Victoria for Rising Festival 2022
Five Australian Rules players transformed into living sculptures, in which a spectacular mark by footy legend and proud Noongar man Andrew Krakouer was recreated as a suspended tableau. As spectators gathered in the National Gallery of Victoria for the Rising Festival 2022, the powerful influence of football in the cultural life of Melbourne became an object of interrogation.
Still Lives: Ghent
Presented by Viernulvier, Minard. Theatre, 2025
Two Belgian cyclists - including world champion Johan Museeuw and their bicycles are suspended in the historical Minardschouwburg as if they are in the middle of a race. Belgian accordionist, Suzan Peeters created live compositions for the show.
Still Lives: Auckland
Presented by the F.O.L.A. - [AKL], 2024
In Town Hall of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, eight female rugby players were bound together to re-create one half of an interlocking scrum. Urgent issues, such as sexism, racism, homophobia and transphobia within sporting culture are also revealed through the knotty negotiation between bodies.
Still Lives: Fremantle
Presented by the Fremantle Biennale 2023 SIGNALS
Looking to maritime past and histories of imprisonment of a key naval port in Australia, whilst out at sea, sailing towards Walyalup / Fremantle from the direction of Wadjemup / Rottnest Island, a bugle player was suspended between the masts of a 130 year old pearl lugger. As the ship entered the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour at sunset, the bugler performed The Last Post, an international anthem for remembering and rest.
Still Lives: Florence
Presented by Fabricca Europa, Secret Florence 2023
3 queer-identifed Italians respond to the 3 figures in Giambologna’s Ratto delle Sabine (Rape of the Sabine Women) by being physically bound into the interlocking compositon of the Baroque sculpture.
Still Lives: Venice
Presented by La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Danza, 2019
For the 2019 Venice Biennale, a gondola and gondolier were tied together using 1km of locally made jute rope. With its relationship to water and boats, rope is an ever-present material in Venice. Before it became a central venue for the Biennale, the Arsenale also housed the making of rope for its naval fleet. This durational performance-installation took place in a public square on Via Garibaldi, in front of the Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument.
INTERVIEW WITH ATHLETA MAGAZINE
Still Lives: Melbourne
Presented at National Gallery of Victoria for Rising Festival 2022
Five Australian Rules players transformed into living sculptures, in which a spectacular mark by footy legend and proud Noongar man Andrew Krakouer was recreated as a suspended tableau. As spectators gathered in the National Gallery of Victoria for the Rising Festival 2022, the powerful influence of football in the cultural life of Melbourne became an object of interrogation.
Still Lives: Ghent
Presented by Viernulvier, Minard. Theatre, 2025
Two Belgian cyclists - including world champion Johan Museeuw and their bicycles are suspended in the historical Minardschouwburg as if they are in the middle of a race. Belgian accordionist, Suzan Peeters created live compositions for the show.
Still Lives: Auckland
Presented by the F.O.L.A. - [AKL], 2024
In Town Hall of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, eight female rugby players were bound together to re-create one half of an interlocking scrum. Urgent issues, such as sexism, racism, homophobia and transphobia within sporting culture are also revealed through the knotty negotiation between bodies.
Still Lives: Fremantle
Presented by the Fremantle Biennale 2023 SIGNALS
Looking to maritime past and histories of imprisonment of a key naval port in Australia, whilst out at sea, sailing towards Walyalup / Fremantle from the direction of Wadjemup / Rottnest Island, a bugle player was suspended between the masts of a 130 year old pearl lugger. As the ship entered the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour at sunset, the bugler performed The Last Post, an international anthem for remembering and rest.
Still Lives: Florence
Presented by Fabricca Europa, Secret Florence 2023
3 queer-identifed Italians respond to the 3 figures in Giambologna’s Ratto delle Sabine (Rape of the Sabine Women) by being physically bound into the interlocking compositon of the Baroque sculpture.
Still Lives: Venice
Presented by La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Danza, 2019
For the 2019 Venice Biennale, a gondola and gondolier were tied together using 1km of locally made jute rope. With its relationship to water and boats, rope is an ever-present material in Venice. Before it became a central venue for the Biennale, the Arsenale also housed the making of rope for its naval fleet. This durational performance-installation took place in a public square on Via Garibaldi, in front of the Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument.
INTERVIEW WITH ATHLETA MAGAZINE