Sunken Works / who makes the rules
Ghaliah Conroy

Under the title Sunken Works Ghaliah Conroy is working on a series of works around the theme of the Human Zoo, the 'exotic' exhibitions that took place in Europe well into the 20th century, where people of colour were displayed behind a fence. What effect does this history have on black women today?

After the dance film Sunken Works / don't BITE (a co-production between DansBrabant and Nederlandse Dansdagen), Ghaliah delves even deeper into the theme of 'looking and being looked at'. How do you relate to a gaze that reduces you to a stereotype? And how do you reclaim your autonomy?
Sunken Works / who makes the rules is an intimate live duet between a camera and a black body - at the same time, who makes the rules is a game between audience and performer. Who looks at whom, who decides, who follows... Anger, impotence and affection alternate in rapid succession. Sunken Works / who makes the rules is at times uncomfortable, at all times edgy and personal.

Ghaliah Conroy graduated from the dance and choreography course at Fontys in Tilburg. Originally, she has a background in theatre as an actress and singer. Since graduating, she has been looking for how to bring these different loves together meaningfully. In the past two years, she danced, among others, in HAMMAM an immersive performance by the Irish company ANU Productions, performed in the show The Pull of the Stars at The Gate Theatre Dublin and was part of Marian Quinn's film TWIG. At Makershuis Tilburg and in residence at DansBrabant, she worked out her plans for Sunken Works.

Ghaliah enjoys working interdisciplinary. She has a fascination for images and likes to be inspired by photographers, videographers and visual artists. As a maker, she seeks her own theatrical language where body and image together tell the story.