Announcing TOUCHSCREEN
An experimental movement performance by Robert James Anderson & Donovan Délis-McCarthy
Produced by ArtHouse Jersey & Ballet d'Jèrri
Tickets cost £18.04 and can be booked via Eventbrite with a pay-what-you-choose option
Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March 2024 (8pm)
It has been said that if you can’t walk from one room to another without taking your device with you, you have become an addict. We live in a time where such an addiction is so widespread it is considered normal. But at what cost?
ArtHouse Jersey and Ballet d'Jèrri are delighted to announce TOUCHSCREEN, an experimental movement performance by multidisciplinary artists Robert James Anderson and Donovan Délis-McCarthy, featuring a special appearance by dancers from Ballet d'Jèrri. Taking place on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March 2024 (8pm both nights) at ArtHouse Jersey at Capital House, Robert and Donovan will present a stunning immersive performance piece in which both audience members and performers are asked to consider the profound impacts of our high-speed, globally connected and often isolating new world. Tickets cost £18.04 and are available via Eventbrite.
Speaking to the themes explored in TOUCHSCREEN artist Robert James Anderson said, “These are issues of profound significance to me. The internet has brought me many positive things: a great deal of information on my areas of interest, relationships professional and personal, ways of establishing/sustaining contact with collaborators. But these benefits exist in stark contrast to my growing difficulty in focusing, a sense of oversaturation and a consequent devaluing inner narrative regarding my own work, all of which also have their roots in my internet-accessing devices. I was a child who used my creativity as a way of understanding, expressing and healing, all of which require time and an ability to get lost in the creative process. This is almost impossible when a device is trying its best by design to distract me, yet it might be the very same device that I am using to transcribe an online image into a painting, or listen to a piece of music to inspire me. This performance looks into this dichotomy that so many of us live with now in hopes of navigating towards a healthier connectedness."
Robert James Anderson (left) was born in Bath, England, raised in the USA and Jersey and lives in France. They hold a BA Hons in Theatre & Visual Art from the University of Brighton and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from The New York Studio School. They work in the disciplines of poetry, music, painting and performance art.
Robert has a deep fascination for human emotion and for the animal kingdom. Frequently these two subjects intersect in their work, most notably in their paintings, where human figures and animals share spaces in mysterious and evocative ways. Sexuality and the unshackling of queer identities from social pressures to conceal or sanitise is also a major force in their work. As a musician they write and sing songs that frankly explore personal relationships and the suffering that comes from shame. Their poetry frequently talks about remembered instances where desire and circumstance, or perhaps personal capacity, were at odds.
In 2022 Robert was asked to write a poem to remember Philip Hewat-Jaboor, former Chairman of ArtHouse Jersey. They have worked with ArtHouse Jersey to realise several other projects and continue to exhibit and perform in Europe. Robert is thrilled to be presenting this piece with Donovan Delis-McCarthy and is deeply grateful to ArtHouse Jersey and Ballet D'Jerri for their support.
Donovan Délis-McCarthy (right) was born in Paris, and studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris. His dance career took him to Denmark's Tivoli Ballet Theatre where he was promoted to soloist. Driven by curiosity and a desire to captivate audiences, Donovan continually sought new forms of expression to engage and move spectators. Alongside performing as a dancer in both classical and modern dance pieces, he also developed his artistic voice through many other forms such as music, compositions, drawing, painting and sculpting. Donovan now lives in Jersey and is one of the founders of Ballet d'Jèrri.
This performance includes a period of time where the audience will be standing and walking between performance areas. There will also be limited seating during the first act. If you require seating throughout the performance, please let us know in advance, or talk to a steward upon arrival.
Please be advised that this show contains adult themes and may feature nudity so is only suitable for people aged 16+. Doors will open at 7.45pm, with a start time of 8pm. Please note that we will not be able to provide access prior to this time.
