Ianuae: Ruth Jones
Ianuae: (Latin: doorways, gateways, beginnings)
Performance Sat 7th Oct, 5pm, duration approx 30 min. A film of the performance was shown at Qube from 12th Oct.
About the work
Ianuae has evolved from the artist's observations and research into the impact that horses have had upon the Oswestry and border area, through agriculture, racing and through the town's location on the London to Holyhead mail coach route. A second strand of research explored the mythological association of the black horse with the people of old Celtic Britain and the white horse with the arrival of the Anglo-Saxon peoples.
Involving one white horse and one black horse, the performance focuses upon the interaction of the two horses and the exchange of energy that occurs when two cultures meet, collide and are altered as a result. The horses perform a 'dance' around and within a circle, in which they enact the polarity and harmony of opposites, working simultaneously with themes of tension and fusion.
As part of the project, local community members were invited to attend a 'moving with horses' workshop held at Carreg y Big Equestrian Centre, Selattyn. Those involved played an integral role within final performance.
Moving with Horses Workshop
As part of her project for Bordering, Ruth Jones gathered 10 people from the Oswestry area to take part in a workshop exploring movement with horses on Saturday 30th September at Carreg y Big Equestrian Centre and Sunday 1st October at the Old Racecourse, Oswestry. Participants explored bodily awareness with movement artist Yonnie Kwok Pickles and how to focus their bodies in space in relation to the horse and the environment. All workshop participants were invited to take part in the final performance.
