Ghaliah Conroy
Sunken Works I who makes the rules

Ghaliah Conroy (1996, Ireland) graduated from the dance and choreography course at Fontys in Tilburg. Originally, she has a background in theatre as an actress and singer and therefore 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.

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 it is who makes the rules A game between audience and performer. Who looks at whom, who decides, who follows... Anger, incapacity and affection alternate in rapid succession. Sunken Works / who makes the rules is at times uncomfortable, at all times edgy and personal.