Squarehead Productions
Proxy Balance
Squarehead Productions
Proxy Balance
3 to 7 March 2025
Proxy balance is a technique whereby an object is balanced by an manipulator through another person’s body. The body can pass between passive and active states yet is at all times controlled by the manipulator. This method explores themes of control and surrender.
This is an early-stage research residency for a new work in development: Stickman II: MOLOCH. The aim is to explore this new balance technique and develop a performative language.
Object balancing has become a central language in many of my projects in recent years. It is a rich in imagery and symbolism and thus makes great meat to put upon the bones of a work.
My public informs me about my work. In order to see it clearly, I must look through their eyes. A part of my current ethos is to put a work in front of an audience as soon as possible and make these encounters a central part of the creation process.
[re]framing is a central theme to my work. This quote from a group of psychologists in the 70s eloquently describes this method: “([re]framing)…means to change the conceptual and/or emotional setting or viewpoint in relation to which a situation is experienced and to place it an another frame which fits the ‘facts’ of the same concrete situation equally well or even better, and thereby changing it’s entire meaning.” Watzlawick, Weakland and Fisch (1974).
Born in 1987 in Ireland as youngest of three siblings and son of two professional chefs. In 2006 he moved to Berlin to attend the Jonglier Katakomben School of Juggling.
In 2008 attended the Academy for Circus and Performance Art and completed his education with a bachelor degree in Circus Arts.
In 2014 was selected as a Circus Next laureate with ‘Fragments of a Mind’, and has since created several acclaimed works: ‘The Whistle’, ‘Stickman’ and ‘For as Long As We’re Here’.
Darragh teaches at different professional institutions around Europe: FLIC , ACAPA, Die Etage, CODARTS and Les Beaux Arts.
During the week we will have an open studio session visitors are invited to observe the artists working, and part take in some exercises to experience the technique of ‘proxy balancing’
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WCAC acknowledges the financial support of The Arts Council and Cork County Council in making these residencies possible.
