(Elle dans) She Dances in Sarkis' Studio to Dmitri Shostakovich’s 15th Quartet

In "Elle Danse", a monitor hidden beneath a massive rug shows a corner of Sarkis’ former atelier in Paris. The atelier, a space for working and contemplation, not only serves as a shelter for the artist’s works but also penetrates the works themselves. From the speaker that Sarkis filmed in his atelier, we hear Dmitri Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 15. On top of the speaker is a dancing figure pirouetting to the music. This figure, which we see both on the screen and spinning around herself on top of the monitor, continues her dance by carrying both the memory of past and present. Tiny objects from Sarkis’ personal history are incorporated into the sculpture, which he created by covering a found ceramic object with clay: an old slide shows a loop of a boy gliding on snow, the darkened wick of a half-burnt candle recalls the smell of soot, an audio tape snatched away from its reel constantly repeats the same brief melody… The rug keeps the atelier warm, camouflages it, and protects it from the outside world. Since "Elle Danse", Sarkis has continued to cover many of his works with rugs and carpets as a gesture of concealing, protecting or warming.