ABOUT THE WORK
The Latin phrase Avē Imperātor, moritūrī tē salūtant (English: Hail Emperor, those about to die salute you) was reported to be said by the gladiators before an event in 54 A.D. before the Emperor Claudius. Morituri (a dance for eight) explores the inherent aggressive energy that fuels a culture that finds itself in perpetual war as the United States has arguably been in since the first Gulf War. This work manifests the driving, athleticism and conceptual depth Flink and BLM are known for while containing some unexpected surprises. Light animation artist Paul Herwig designs and executes memorable TagTool live animations during each performance.
This work has layering commentary about how violence functions in our world. What’s glorified by the masses? What’s not? The imagery in this work pulls from many eras & violences: The title (ancient Rome), the dog masks (twentieth century USA “dogs of war”), stripped workout attire (1936 Olympics in German), the projection across the back wall (literal guns & knives), choreographic fight scenes, etc.
Paul Herwig’s live animation development was made possible by a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant.