Harnett-Hargrove

Below a high window harsh daylight tumbles down shaft-like mixing w/ dust rising. She pauses to enter the slipstream before diving into the daimonion. Her silhouette sets off a harsh, abrupt shadow as she secures a promise by commencing to dance.

In this transparent essence, she madly spins w/ the intensity + reverence of a Dervish. Her head is thrown back to belie ecstasy + invite delusion. W/ one hand to the small of the back, the other to her chin she sends the brief chiffon flailing, seven veils flying into a luminous smokey blur sending dark oblique fluid shapes rocking on the rammed floor following her every course. She glances in + out of the late sun's spotlight unknowing if her shadow follows or leads her. Perhaps it does both. The jealous shadow seems to pull her repeatedly into the focusing light as if needing to be seen.

     

The dance becomes her. Her feet scrape the dirt + then seem to hover. She hides her face + then bares teeth. Bucking + writhing w/ the allure of a feral cat.

    

She’ll continue till forgetting what she wants, or when she is ready to receive what she has asked for.

As natural light dims + gloom begins to take over, the tender flames that have burned continuously now draw attention as they grow in proxy, their intensity becoming the brightest glow in the room.

    

The moon peeks into the clerestory window, nods its head w/ apology, + sinks again below the grease smeared marble ledge.

    

She divides the room. Her facing aspect lit up by a nervous flickering wall of candles. Her dark side lost in the cast of skipping, shrill, wild apparitions skimming the stone wall. The chamber is enhanced w/ the illusion that she is many, + lends a potency of the impending bizarre.

   

Shape shifting, yet ever constant.

On + on lost in the dance as dawn awakens.

Her shadow fades, pulling at her like the tug of sleep. Her expression satiated, the apostrophe of the night wanes.

   

She no longer knows or cares if it's she who’s in trouble, or those around her.

Attendees notice the conversation piece. A hand wrought pewter serving platter w/ a chiseled pattern of chaos w/in its symmetrical border. As mesmerizing as a mandala, + awaiting the gruesome prize.