Museum of bodies

"Museum of Bodies" proposes to expand the field of experiencing the visual arts from the dominant sense of sight (which marginalizes the blind, and is often associated with distance and judgment), to include hearing and bodily presence. In dance, this means attentiveness towards one’s own body, thoughts and imagination. Here, dance does not function as a formal show, but as a method for processing stimuli—a form of active exploration of reality employing the body as a perceptual apparatus. Improvising dancers respond to sounds and the presence of the audience. The dancers’ motion is not based on defined moves, but on tuning into the context and entering into a relationship with the environment.

"Museum of Bodies" functions like a filter of perceptions, sensitizing us to how we perceive others and ourselves in public space. It reminds us that our vision is not neutral, but is shaped by social contexts, cultural norms, customs, and power structures. The dancing body actively engages in defining the relationship with the environment, becoming an instrument for communication—a living and political medium. The focus and attentiveness demanded by this interaction can also help us perceive other forms of art—more slowly, with reflection and openness to bodily experience.

The title of the project alludes to the first choreographic intervention at the opening of the new MSN Warsaw building in October 2024. It also references Boris Charmatz’s idea of the "Musée de la danse", which sought new contexts for presentation of chorography and dance, while stressing the role of dance as a political medium with immediate bodily impact.