Born in 1969 in Surakarta, Indonesia, Melati Suryodarmo studied under renowned Butoh dancer, Anzu Furukawa, and acclaimed performance artist, Marina Abramovic. Known for her highly physical, time-based performances, and for using her body as a theatrical canvas, Suryodarmo has performed all over the world: Venice Biennale Dance Festival (2007); eBent 07 Festival in Barcelona (2007); Accione 06 in Madrid (2006); 15th International Electronic Art Festival – Video Brasil, Sao Paolo (2005); International Performance Art Festival in Toronto (2004), as well as in New York, Paris, Bali, Sydney and Singapore.In this performance, Suryodarmo, in a black dress and red shoes, dances on pieces of butter that cause her to slip and fall repeatedly. However she persists at it, dancing, slipping, sliding and falling unremittingly with increasing intensity. The futility of her actions that border on absurdity contrasts with the sensuality of her movements and the insistent percussive beat she dances to, capturing the tragicomedy of our contemporary experiences and existence, and offering some form of catharsis through its mingling of fragility, heroism and absurdity.
