Amorphous [a toolkit to suspend normality]

Amorphous [a toolkit to suspend normality] is a week long series of performances and workshops featuring artist Ben Miller. In his performances, Miller often plays two roles: a calm reflective mirror for participants to look in on themselves, and a startling, playful character drawing unexpecting audiences out of their shell. “Absurdity can be used to catalyze a state of personal liberation,” he explains when describing his practice. Miller proposes methods of pretend, absurdity, and focus as a toolkit to break the restrictions of boredom, misery and anxiety perpetuated in our daily routines. From doodling to escape a drawn out lecture, to dazing out in a packed train segment during rush hour, ‘pretend’ frequents our day to day as a tactic of self preservation.

The week kicks off on Wednesday April 19th with Sound Shaping, a collaborative performance between Miller and sound artist Baba Ali. Miller and Ali will engage in sonic dialogue between each other and the audience. Through a simple but effective mixing of loops, voice, and movement, they create an ecstatic and absurd affect.

Thursday and Sunday will be dedicated to Playfulness and Meditation in Daily Life. Miller often uses the term 'amorphous' in relation to his meditation performances which bring participants outside of their natural forms and movements. In Playfulness and Meditation in Daily Life, the participants are gently led through a process that shifts their awareness in order to make it easier to experience essential aspects of being that are found when quieting the mind and becoming attentive.

Friday and Saturday feature one-on-one sessions with Miller in Mirror of Tarot. Miller’s approach to tarot uses the cards’ imagery to discern a person’s present state and observe how they interpret reality rather than to foretell their future. Patterns of perception, such as thoughts, feeling and desires, shape the quality of an experience. Some patterns are applied intentionally, and others without acknowledgement. Miller uses tarot as a guide to recognise subjective constructions of personal realities.

SCHEDULE

Sound Shaping | Wed. 19 April | 6:30-9:30 PM
A collaborative improvised performance between Miller and sound artist Baba Ali.

Playfulness and Meditation in Daily Life | Thur. 20 April 5-7:30 PM | Sun. 23 April 12:30-3 PM
A meditation which brings participants out of their natural forms and movements.

Mirror of Tarot | Fri. 21 April & Sat. 22 April | 1-6 PM
One-on-one sessions with Miller, using the tarot’s imagery to discern the participants’ constructions of the present.