Sad Clown (2023)

Performance (20 minutes)

In her previous performances, Clara Saito has used bodily expression to explore the issues of domination and liberation that infuse society. She uses her own body and those of the performers she regularly works with to translate feelings and attempt to deconstruct the effects of social and societal norms on our daily lives, particularly those of minorities.

With Sad Clown, Clara Saito continues her exploration of the language of feelings through the body. Here, she takes a closer look at the issue of mental health through the figure of the clown, whose lightness, frivolity and whimsy we expect, disregarding the person embodying him. But what happens when these buried feelings resurface? How do you reconcile your public persona with your inner self? This performance addresses the problem of ambiguous feelings by replaying the codes of burlesque in a minor mode*.