Personal proposal for a devised
performance based on the life
and works of Francis Bacon

Supervisor:
Professor Paweł Dobrzycki
Studio of Theatre Stage Design

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Malwina Chabocka’s degree piece is special for several reasons. It is a successful
attempt to deal with the dramatic biography and wonderful works of Francis Bacon,
as well as the huge legend surrounding one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.
It offers a very modern approach towards theatre, designed as a synthesis
of contemporary developments in the fine arts, making use of the latest stage
techniques. It is groundbreaking as the theatrical performance was created
with stage design in its broadest sense, since no dramatic text or script serves
as a base for this project. Malwina Chabocka envisioned the performance starting
from and focusing on its artistic form, however, the vision is complete, following all
the dramaturgical rules of a theatre or film piece. The project is in fact designed
for either theatre, film or multimedia television performances.

The performance takes place in a gallery space that is treated like a stage (the space
is also mobile – walls and ceiling open up, floor-mounted stage trolleys move etc.).
The basic idea behind the performance is to present Bacon’s life as a set of scenes
telling the life of the artist but seen in the form of particular performances or acted
scenes in installations, the latter being one of the most important elements
in Malwina Chabocka’s creation. They are, on one hand an auteur’s or artist’s
transformation of real interiors, places, locations from the artist’s life. On the other
hand, in the mind of the on-stage Bacon, they seemingly become germs of paintings
which will soon be created in reaction to subsequent events in his life. It is an
empathic and courageous attempt to penetrate the world of imagination and
creative mental process of the great painter. The almost film-like editing
of scenes, the penetration of events, the subsequent installations-decorations
flowing through the stage-gallery space and the crowning of the subsequent
scenes with emerging paintings by Bacon – all this is a very dramatic
and creative expression.
 

B. 1984, studied at Camberwell College of Arts in London (2004–2005),
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (2005–2008) and the Faculty
of Media Art and Stage Design of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (2009–2011).
She is a set and costume designer, producer and painter. Her work was displayed
in an individual exhibition at the Historical Museum of Kielce, 2011.

CONTACT:
T: +48 600 196 726
info@malwinart.com
www.malwinart.com