John Robinson IV: the Hemisphere of the Earth

"Performance is not a spectacle, but a collective act of authorship and process."

The Hemisphere of Earth — a Collective Séance. Painter/performer John Robinson & DeNode Foundation invite you to take part in the final chapter of a cosmological journey. Inspired by Dante Alighieri's construction of the universe, we transform the exhibition space into a place of surrender and collective authorship.

The Experience … at a long table covered in black cloth, your sight is suspended. Blindfolded and guided, you enter a trance-like state. Here the hand is no longer a servant of the eye, but a medium for the unconscious.

• Blind Image: not a workshop, but a profound performative experience.
• Automatic Gesture: writing and drawing without visual control.
• De-stabilisation: let go of control and let the gesture precede intention.
• Collective Authorship: we do not create an image, but a trace.

After the performance we take you on a deep dive into the world of contemporary performance. Forget the classic artist talk; this is a collective reflection on the power of action, the value of residue and the necessity of ritual in a fleeting image culture.

Central themes of the conversation:

• Ritual vs. Image: how does contemporary ritual relate to the 'collapse of image'?
• The Beauty of Failure: the relationship between participation, collective action and inevitable failure.
• Residue as Space: how past actions determine the physical construction of an exhibition.
• The Role of the Foundation: a look behind the scenes at DeNode Foundation on supporting long-term artistic processes.

Panel: the audience, John Robinson (artist), Em. Prof. Freddy Decreus and Kristof Vander Cruyssen (curator/artistic director DeNode).