No. 54: Ash Rucker
Tanzmainz's performance of Soul Chain, Alice Coltrane, Movement with TherapART, chanting, and Fort Greene Park.
Ash Rucker is a performance artist and movement director based in New York (she’s often in Los Angeles, too). Recently, she worked on campaigns for Loewe, ON Running, and Rag & Bone, with photographer Ryan McGinley. Her work is deeply rooted in the belief that art and movement can heal, which inspired her to found TherapART and The Inhabit Method. From Ash –
I. a healing modality
When I first started dancing in my apartment years ago, I felt a release – a letting go of pain and trauma stored deep within me. The ritual of dancing was more than movement… it was a reconnection with myself on a deeply spiritual level. What started as a personal practice soon grew into something far greater. Motivated by my brother’s struggles with drug addiction and incarceration, I founded TherapART, a nonprofit where I teach somatic-based creative movement to incarcerated youth. Guiding others to heal, play, and practice self-love through dance, meditation, art, and writing has been one of the greatest joys in my life.
Move with me at Sky Ting on October 5!
II. a performance piece
At the beginning of summer, a few friends and I had dinner at the Chelsea Hotel before going to The Joyce theater to see tanzmainz, a German contemporary dance company, perform Soul Chain (originally choreographed by Sharon Eyal). Watching the dancers in conversation with their bodies and each other was captivating and a powerful reminder of how far we can let movement take us. I feel immense gratitude for my body and its ability to walk, talk, see, listen, and move. Our bodies are one of the most beautiful instruments. I can sometimes take for granted that it shows up every single day.
“Dance comes from your stomach, from your heart, from your brain. The dance comes from your body, in its entirety. Because it is a complete combination, all the organs are connected, from the brain to the heart. You can’t dance with just one part of your body, you dance with your whole body.” - Sharon Eyal in an interview with Numero Mag
III. a park
I go to Fort Greene Park for at least a few minutes each day. It’s my safe place in New York.
IV. a dream
Alice Coltrane appeared to me in a dream last summer, and I felt this strong urge to reach out to her family, so I did. Some time went by and one of her first students called and said: “You need to fly out to California.” Before I knew it, I was in Alice Coltrane’s home. Her daughter, Michelle, who now feels like a second mother to me, invited me to sing in Alice’s honor on her birthday at Integral Yoga a few weeks ago. In the 1970s, Alice purchased and gifted the building to Integral Yoga, where she met her teacher. Singing at the ashram, a place so significant in her life, was a transcendent experience. I felt like I was levitating… it was overwhelmingly beautiful and emotional.
V. a ritual
My day begins with chanting. When I chant, life starts to swirl within me. The birds sing back to me.
~ bulletin ~
los angeles
On view: Duncan Hannah’s Flesh and Fantasy at The Journal Gallery. Jenna Gribbon’s Like Looking in a Mirror and Fred Eversley’s Cylindrical Lenses opens at David Kordanky tomorrow. Caitlin MacQueen’s Fascination opens at Hannah Hoffman on Saturday. Group show L.A. Story at Hauser & Wirth featuring Henry Taylor, Florian-Maier-Aichen, Calida Rawles, Ed Ruscha, and more (curated by Steve Martin). Tahnee Lonsdale’s A Billion Tiny Moons opens at Night on Saturday. At Home: Alice Neel in Queer World and Nate Lowman’s Parking at David Zwirner. Willa Nasatir’s solo exhibition at Sea View opens on Saturday. Eddie Martinez’s Homework at Blum. Objects for a Heavenly Cave at Marta featuring Lily Clark, Valentina Cameranesi Sgroi, Mr. Liz Hopkins and many more. Eric Dwight Hancock’s By and By and By at M+B. Molly Rose Lieberman’s My Paradise and Brett Ginsburg’s Cadence at Matthew Brown. Josephine Halvorson’s New Hours at James Fuentes. Ed Ruscha’s Now Then at LACMA.
new york
On view: Nan Goldin: You Never Did Anything Wrong at Gagosian. Mitch Epstein’s Old Growth at Yancey Richardson. Blair Whiteford’s Garden of Infinite Foundation at Matthew Brown opens tomorrow. Sophia Heymans’ Everything Dancing and Vincent Pocsik’s Paradise Never Bends at Shrine. Dike Blair at Karma. Judith Eisler’s Dreams, Jokes, Mistakes at Casey Kaplan. Soumya Netrabile’s Holding Current at Rachel Uffner. Hilary Pecis’ Warm Rhythm at David Kordansky. Group show Across the Pond: Contemporary Painting in London featuring Max Wade, Emma Fineman, and more at Eric Firestone Gallery. July Guzman’s Along the Line and Catherine Repko’s Hark at 1969 Gallery. Maris Van Vlack’s Time Warp at Superhouse. Group show Works on Paper featuring Joan Snyder, Mimi Lauter, Lily Ludlow, and Xylor Jane at Canada. Shara Mays’ Where We Walked, Who We Remembered at Hunter Dunbar. Mercedes Llanos’ Te Soñe Primero at Amanita. Group show Yours Truly at Nahmad Contemporary featuring works by Danielle McKinney, Salman Toor, Wolfgang Tillmans, Issy Wood and more. Meredith Rosen Gallery’s show Skulptual — the first exhibition of the late Hannah Villiger’s work in New York since 1991. Jenny Holzer’s Light Line at Guggenheim.
Friday: The Business of Collecting chat at Colbo with Kathleen Sorbara (Chickee's Vintage), Jared Blake (Lichen), Eric Oglander (Tihngs), and Geoff Snack (Wrong Answer).
Saturday & Sunday: Available Works book fair by Something Special Studios at WSA.
Affection Archives is a weekly look into the archives of yours truly (Arielle Eshel) and people I admire. Follow on Instagram @AffectionArchives.