#helen4sg – The helenclava project

Lisa Martin

Sunday 25 September – Saturday 15 October

#helen4sg – The helenclava project is a response to Helen Clark’s recent bid for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. Ms. Clark gave many interviews and countless speeches during her candidacy for Secretary-General, the repetitive nature of these speeches can be likened to a routine. The helenclava project takes Helen Clark’s common speech phrases and choreographs them into physical movements based on the Korean martial art Tai Guk Kwon. This gentle martial art seems the perfect physical embodiment of the United Nations agenda. Tai Guk Kwon uses a series of movements performed in a slow and focused manner, promoting strength, stability, flexibility and coordination. In spite of the United Nations election transparency endeavour, or possibly because of it, the Secretary-General selection process still remains somewhat mystifying.

Lisa’s work is conceptual, sometimes performative, and often reflects her interest in the influence of communication to achieve results.