Sally McKay

25th August

Timepiece is a giant faceless clock created by artist Conrad Shawcross. Three rotating arms with lit up bulbs on the ends mark the hours, minutes and seconds, they move through the space at different speeds like inquisitive lit up probes, sending beams of light out across the dark room and the 24 pillars which surround the light sculpture, they cast moving shadows all going in different directions. The Conrad Shawcross installation, Timepiece, has been suspended in London’s Roundhouse for 3 weeks. During the installation, company Wayne McGregor I Random Dance, Siobhan Davies Dance and dance artist Iona Kewney performed in the space beneath the clock. I caught the last performance of Random Dance dancing Azimuth.

Below: these are some of the drawings I made during the performance

We sit on the floor in a big circle around the 24 pillars, the dancers enter the circle at different points from the darkness behind us. The audience are transfixed, the dancers move with such extraordinary speed, skill and agility, they run the circumference of our circle – time racing forwards at dizzying speed; sometimes their actions reflect the rotations of the Timepiece above, reminding us to be aware of the clock. Sometimes a solo, or a duet or everyone in movement. My drawings look crowded with bodies, I was loving the activity and speed of the dancers, so drawing an individual several times as he or she moved across the space.

Kings Place is the next venue to catch these fantastic dancers when they present Random Works 20 September, 21 September, then the company will be at Sadler’s Wells performing Atomos from 9 October and don’t miss Thinking with the Body an exhibition at The Wellcome Collection.