Devour

Devour is a collaborative work between Untamed Productions (Belgium) and KNOT Kollektiv (The Netherlands) exploring the human lust for destruction.

Featuring Ali Clarke and Ricardo Ambrózio the duet examines the concept of Thanatos, or the death drive, a term used to describe the opposite of Eros, our natural instinct to live. While survival instinct pushes us towards reproduction, safety and human contact, Thanatos moves humans to engage in risky and self-destructive behaviours. This natural drive we all possess edges us towards acts of aggression, self-harm, and thrill seeking.

The duo looks closely at the human desire for destruction through raw and powerful images carved out in the bodies of the performers. Looking at the tendency for self-destruction, or the desire to consume those in our paths the duo tears apart the image of perfection which surrounds humans in modern society where this rage and drive to destroy is repressed. Is destruction a part of human nature? Is it as much an instinct as survival? Or have we created this tendency through our societal evolution?

Devour was created in co-production with Untamed Productions and premiered in Brazil in August 2019.

Choreography and Performance: Ali Clarke,  Ricardo Ambrózio

Production: Martina Ambrozio

Support: Performact, Ilu - Associção de Dança, Arts Council Ireland