Blackhaine in de Bajes: Visually Powerful, But Can You Bear to Watch?

The former Bijlmerbajes prison has been transformed into a stark artistic space for the performance "Blackhaine in de Bajes." Visitors enter through a tunnel of metal fences, immediately immersing themselves in a thick haze where a figure hangs motionless against a tiled wall. The atmosphere is heavy with a sense of desolation, amplified by performers moving in hyperslow motion or writhing on the floor like the living dead.

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The woman who appears after some time walks with a dead look in hyperslowmotion through the space.

This visceral experience is the creation of British musician, performer, and choreographer Blackhaine, known for collaborations with artists like Ye and Playboi Carti. Drawing from his own experiences growing up in poverty-stricken Northwest England, Heyes channels themes of hopelessness and boredom into his work. The performance features deafening bass drones, interspersed with moments of quiet guitar melodies or complete silence. The intensity escalates in the second part, with seven performers expressing self-hatred, aggression, pain, and fear through movements that evoke Japanese butoh dance.

Despite the overwhelming themes of isolation and despair, conveyed through difficult-to-understand spoken texts and intense physical expressions, the performance gradually shifts. The individuals begin to seek each other out, their awkward interactions evolving into tentative support and even tenderness. The lighting design by Emmanuel Biard mirrors this shift, moving from blue to red to yellow. Towards the end, the four female performers engage in a wild dance, their initial cries devolving into mournful sounds.

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Self-hatred, aggression, pain and fear speak from their gestures and violent convulsions, which betray Blackhaine's affinity with Japanese butoh dance.

"Blackhaine in de Bajes" oscillates between loneliness and connection, despair and hope. Ultimately, Blackhaine seems to offer a sense of hope. From a small oasis with young trees, one of the women emits harmonious guitar sounds. As the lights fade, another woman appears to find peace, or perhaps death, beside her. However, the immersive nature of the performance, taking place among the audience, led to significant viewing difficulties for many, with dense crowds obscuring the action.

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Eventually, Blackhaine seems to give hope the last word.