A photographer's point of view

Heidrun Lohr, you have spent 20 years photographing performance, dance and theatre, but this is the first time you've experienced working with Restless Dance Theatre...how has that been for you?

Just wonderful. But wonderful in the sense of the word....full of wonder.

I think it is the richness, the layeredness, the other worldliness that the performers created in this time in Bundanon, and how the place informed this work...and probably the place also created a certain feel. Sometimes it was quite ancient.

So for me for instance, disability was something that was really in the background, I noticed it of course, visually, but it was very much in the background. I think because it was the material...because the subject and what you're working on is not based on disability, and working through that, but it has a subject matter which is totally different. For example, the habitat comes up again and again. Talking with Dean there was habitat, which was a strong theme, visually. When they sit somewhere and find their place, whether it was in the studio or outside, when they get out of the cocoons, was like the habitat of creatures. So the place of where you have been working is very dominate in the work. Its very beautiful... its stunning.

What I talked about yesterday, is what is quite special about Restless is the sincerity and the focus of the performers, especially Matthew. There is such a dedication and sincerity which is quite profound and in this sense also very moving for the audience.

Were you surprised by anything?
Yeah I think I was by the performances and by the richness of the material and also the many ideas that came together.

You've worked with Dean on a number of occasions, how does this work compare to his work elsewhere?
Usually I come in at a dress rehearsal, but here we spent two days with the company and just to see him working as a choreographer was revealing. I think how he worked with the performers is beautiful. He doesn't want to shy away from disability and he has a desire to learn, to expand and deal with the challenge of working with different artists. I enjoyed his way of observing, his calmness and enthusiasm and tireless energy, also the surprise and curiosity. The curiosity of working with these performers and working in this place Bundanon.