The US American artist Senga Nengudi (b. 1943 in Chicago) studied dance and sculpture in Los Angeles in the early 1960s and continues to combine movement and sculpture in her works in surprising ways. Her objects, made of simple every- day materials such as nylon stockings, newsprint and plastic sheeting, are linked to the Minimal Art that was prevalent in California at the beginning of her career, while also expanding the artistic spectrum to include the discipline of dance. To- day, Nengudi is considered a legendary avant-garde artist.
The presentation, which is concentrated in one room and shown alongside the show “Fremde sind wir uns selbst” (“Strangers To Ourselves”), was created in co- operation with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. The starting point was the encounter with Julie Anne Stanzak and Alexander Bălănescu as part of an exhibition 2019 in Munich. This time, Senga Nengudi invites dancers from the company to freely engage with the “Performance Piece” (1977/2022), ), on loan from the Centre Pompidou, which is the centre of the exhibition.
The R.S.V.P. sculptures, which also form part of the display, move without being activated by outsiders: Here the nylon tights are filled with sand, and the weight ensures slow but steady movement. The artist understands the title – in French “Répondez s’il vous plaît”, in English “your response is requested” – as an invitation to the viewers.
