Michal_samama_-_background_materials (original)... -

Samama often morphs into the materials she uses. For example, she may use her fingers like "fishhooks" to distort her face into a snout, blurring the line between human and animal/object.

By bringing these elements into the foreground, Samama forces the audience to reconsider their relationship with everyday materials and their own physical presence. 2. Structure of the Work michal_samama_-_background_materials (Original)...

The piece highlights sensory data that usually goes unnoticed—what Samama calls "background noise"—precisely because these elements are what anchor us to reality. Samama often morphs into the materials she uses

Background Materials is a hybrid event that combines two of Samama’s previous performance pieces into a single narrative arc: Core Material Action & Meaning The concrete wall Michal Samama Background Materials Samama uses a whistle

Reviewers from the New York Times and footage from Vimeo describe several defining features of the work:

This piece is a central part of Samama's broader portfolio, which exists at the intersection of dance, theatre, and visual art. Michal Samama Background Materials

Samama uses a whistle to make her labored breathing audible, emphasizing the physical exertion required to "be a body".