Artists Space

keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott

Performance
December 14, 2022, 8pm

Additional performances:
December 16, 7pm
December 18, 7pm

Artists Space is pleased to present three performances by keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. One of the most mercurial choreographers and dancers working today, gaskin's work problematizes conventional notions of entertainment and artistic excellence in dance. Their dances are contingent and highly adaptable for the space and conditions in which they occur and invoke the dynamics between audience and performer to create a charged intensity that is virtuosically held and modulated, often with extremes of stasis and action, silence and noise. Their commission at Artists Space is the first time a performing artist will occupy the entirety of our downstairs venue and open upstairs galleries.

Color photograph of a figure, wearing reflective one-way mirror film around their body, hanging off the ledge of an open doorway entrance.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure, wearing reflective one-way mirror film around their body, hanging off the ledge of an open doorway entrance.]
Color photograph of a corner space in a gallery, below a staircase, that is bathed in red light. At the bottom of the stairs are a group of performers wearing conical costumes made of reflective one-way mirror film.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a corner space in a gallery, below a staircase, that is bathed in red light. At the bottom of the stairs are a group of performers wearing conical costumes made of reflective one-way mirror film.]
Color photograph of three figures, wearing conical costumes made of reflective one-way mirror film, standing at the doorways of a gallery space.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of three figures, wearing conical costumes made of reflective one-way mirror film, standing at the doorways of a gallery space.]
Color photograph of three figures, wearing all white, performing in a dark gallery space. The leftmost figure lays on the floor with their legs spread and hands pushing their chest up. On the right, a figure with a flashlight around their hips stands with their shoulders and head flung back. The third figure contorts their body on the floor in the rightmost corner.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of three figures, wearing all white, performing in a dark gallery space. The leftmost figure lays on the floor with their legs spread and hands pushing their chest up. On the right, a figure with a flashlight around their hips stands with their shoulders and head flung back. The third figure contorts their body on the floor in the rightmost corner.]
Color photograph of a figure dressed in all white, dancing in a corridor bathed in red light.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure dressed in all white, dancing in a corridor bathed in red light.]
Color photograph of a performer dressed in white, kneeling on all fours. A bright light from their pelvic area shines onto the floor, as viewers stand around the figure.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a performer dressed in white, kneeling on all fours. A bright light from their pelvic area shines onto the floor, as viewers stand around the figure.]
Color photograph of a large empty room bathed in a red light. Along one wall, a performer dressed in white stands against the wall, bending over and looking to their left. A bright white light shines from their hips and a sheath of crinkly, reflective one-way mirror film lays on the ground in front of them.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a large empty room bathed in a red light. Along one wall, a performer dressed in white stands against the wall, bending over and looking to their left. A bright white light shines from their hips and a sheath of crinkly, reflective one-way mirror film lays on the ground in front of them.]
Color photograph of a figure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film. They stand in the corner of a dark room, shining a bright light against the wall behind them. Their silhouette can be vaguely seen under the mirror film.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film. They stand in the corner of a dark room, shining a bright light against the wall behind them. Their silhouette can be vaguely seen under the mirror film.]
Color photograph of a figure in a completely dark room, facing one wall and shining a light from their body against the wall.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure in a completely dark room, facing one wall and shining a light from their body against the wall.]
Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying on the floor of a dark room. The figure has one leg raised in the air, shining a light from their pelvic area onto the floor and wall across from them. A small TV monitor sits in the corner.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying on the floor of a dark room. The figure has one leg raised in the air, shining a light from their pelvic area onto the floor and wall across from them. A small TV monitor sits in the corner.]
Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying down on a window ledge facing the street. They raise on arm up and a white light shines from their pelvic area.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying down on a window ledge facing the street. They raise on arm up and a white light shines from their pelvic area.]
Color photograph of a fgure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film that covers their entire body. They squat down next to a viewer sitting in a wooden chair. The performer shines a bright light against their face, making their face visible from under the mirror film.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a fgure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film that covers their entire body. They squat down next to a viewer sitting in a wooden chair. The performer shines a bright light against their face, making their face visible from under the mirror film.]
Color photograph of a figure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film that covers most of their body. They lay on the floor and spread one arm out from under the mirror film. A bright light shines from under the film.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure wearing a conical sheath of reflective one-way mirror film that covers most of their body. They lay on the floor and spread one arm out from under the mirror film. A bright light shines from under the film.]
Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying face down across two ledges of a raised desk.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of a figure dressed in white, laying face down across two ledges of a raised desk.]
Color photograph of three figures dressed in white, embracing each other as they run across an empty basement.
keyon gaskin with Moya Michael & Zinzi Minott. Performance documentation, December 16, 2022, Artists Space. Photo: Destiny Mata. [Color photograph of three figures dressed in white, embracing each other as they run across an empty basement.]

Valinsky, Rachel, “keyon gaskin with Zinzi Minott and Moya Michael.” e-flux. January 12, 2023. Online.

Support generously provided by Colin Rusch.

Artists Space Venue is generously supported by Stephen Cheng, Lonti Ebers, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Allan Schwartzman, and David Zwirner.

    keyon's two hands are gripping the top of an i-beam ceiling rafter and their leg wearing a black knee pad and combat boot is dangling from below the rafter far above and in front of a crowd/audience. The audience mostly looks up at keyon and one figure stands below keyon and in front of the audience holding a taut black rope that is also coming from the rafter, seemingly attached to keyon but that part of keyon's body is obscured by the rafter. The surrounding room is large and empty besides the bodies, with lots of windows and a hardwood floor. This image is a video still of a performance by keyon in 2015 in Portland, OR.
    [keyon's two hands are gripping the top of an i-beam ceiling rafter and their leg wearing a black knee pad and combat boot is dangling from below the rafter far above and in front of a crowd/audience. The audience mostly looks up at keyon and one figure stands below keyon and in front of the audience holding a taut black rope that is also coming from the rafter, seemingly attached to keyon but that part of keyon's body is obscured by the rafter. The surrounding room is large and empty besides the bodies, with lots of windows and a hardwood floor. This image is a video still of a performance by keyon in 2015 in Portland, OR.]