Fondation

Often, when we think of a guided tour of a contemporary art museum, we picture an educator imparting information to a number of participants and leading a discussion. Whether the educational model is conventional or progressive, our relationship to contemporary art remains one of distanced contemplation, often interpreted through intellect. We are hesitant to engage our bodies, our senses and our emotions, as these do not seem to lead to any real understanding of the art.

Art historian Claire Bishop invokes the idea of “euphoria of space” [1] to describe the feeling that takes over visitors the moment they enter the impressive architecture of art museums: this sensation of deference in relation to the monumentality of the architecture then takes center stage in a visitor's bodily experience, and their personal aesthetic relation to art is relegated to the background. The body therefore loses confidence in its abilities, and museum educators are perceived as the sole holders of knowledge about the works, perpetuating the pedagogical model of transmission from teacher to pupil.

At the PHI Foundation’s Education Department, we consider it crucial to value and encourage the movement of the body and affect during the group visit in order to make contemporary art more widely accessible. There's a political dimension to this—seeing the public as a holistic being, embracing their intellect, but also and equally their body, their emotions, and even their spirituality.

On the next floor, we take a moment to greet each other in front of installations by artists Skawennati and CyberPowWow, before continuing our visit towards the flagship piece Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman (1978-1979) by American artist Dara Birnbaum. A pioneer of video art in the 70s, Birnbaum takes a critical, subversive look at canonical female representations disseminated by mainstream media, particularly television. Using repetition and video remixing, the artist reframes the familiar Wonder Woman character in a captive space. Through a process of visual echo and replay, Birnbaum dismantles normative definitions of the female gender. A movement-based reading of the work is then proposed to the group by Cara. Gathered in a circle, we in turn perform a series of repeated gestures around the theme of strength. In a moving chorus filled with amusement and bursts of laughter, participants describe this moment as an emancipatory space for releasing tension and letting go. The processional ritual of the museum is eradicated; dance visits enable guests to freely interpret the art. Participants are thus invited to make the works their own in an emotive and experiential way.

Continuing our journey towards the Foundation’s second building, located at 465 Saint-Jean Street, we are captivated by Chun Hua Catherine Dong’s artwork, in which digital space becomes a place for play and the reconfiguration of identity. Meet Me Half Way (2021) is an introspective piece which offers a space for free, flowing exploration within a semi-abstract digital environment inspired by the artist’s childhood memories. Guided by Cara’s suggestions, we embark on a choral round inspired by the movements of water, roller-coasters and shimmering light.

In conclusion, in talking with the participants, we were delighted to note a sense of well-being that seemed to have carved out a place for itself in everyone’s imaginations and bodies, despite the unpredictability that the group had to deal with throughout the visit.

Guided dance visits offer a different kind of intimate relationship with the artworks than that of traditional guided tours. Readings and interpretations of the work through the body allow participants to internalize their experience of the art object. Visitors quickly come to trust their bodies inside the space. Through play, many said they were able to reconnect with their inner child. Cara notes that the body also has the power to interpret art, and we couldn't agree more.

Our takeaway from this exchange around dance and sharing is a powerful sense of freedom. Dance visits offer an alternative to traditional guided tours. They create a setting where participants adopt an active rather than passive approach within the gallery spaces. This process encourages a more personal interpretation of the works of art. A sense of ease arises naturally from movement and collaboration, allowing everyone to contribute in a light-hearted way to an experience of appreciation, discussion and sharing.