Bitter Pineapples

is the result of an intensive collaboration between dancer Gabriel Galvez-Prado and artist film maker Anna Cady in which they endeavour to convey the role dance has played for Gabriel in coming to terms with trauma.

In the first section of the film, Gabriel’s Dance, Gabriel tries to make sense of his memories. He (and his shadow) dance in front of a projection of stills and ‘found’ video footage - of himself, dancing in his aunt’s house in Mexico some years ago. The narration wanders through memories, which are at times of a normal happy childhood but increasingly reveal a world of violence and death…

This year, Anita, Gabriel’s mother, spent three months with him in the UK where the second part of this film Anita’s Dance was shot - in his home in Southampton. It is about silence. The silence which protects them from facing up to discussing the violence and abuse they have experienced and the freedom dance gives them to overcome fear.

Gabriel is trained in Butoh and Somatic dance techniques, both of which enable one to express one’s deeper, even unconscious, feelings through movement. Combining this line of creativity with film – where the process is generally much more prescriptive – has been an exciting challenge.

Anna Cady has screened films both nationally and internationally - including at Tate Modern and the Sundance Film Festival. Installations of her work include Mottisfont (NT), and more recently at Tremenheere Sculpture Park within the James Turrell Skyspace.

Presented by City Eye in partnership with John Hansard Gallery as part of Mexico Week.

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If you would like to make a donation to City Eye so that it is able to continue its work supporting artists like Anna and Gabriel and enabling opportunities such as this to experience exceptional work there will be the opportunity at this event - or please contact admin@city-eye.co.uk to discuss how you might donate.