GRACE

Marie Béland

Woman of steel, GRACE embodies the fantasy of the mother, big sister, and wife all in one. Through her multiple and manifold presences, she welcomes our fears of a disembodied future and infuses them with the comforting smell of homemade cookies. GRACE possesses the elegance of a peacock, with its flamboyant tail diverting our attention from her fragile feet that struggle to carry her.

In this solo piece commissioned by Laurie-Anne Langis, Marie Béland questions the prevalent feminine archetype in the current robotic field. Sophia, Grace, Aïko, Ameca, Jia Jia: the technology industry has produced a significant number of female humanoid robots, perpetuating the fantasy of a submissive woman, homemaker, mother, sexual object, serving everyone. Do female androids finally grant humans the unrestricted use of women? Can these female robots, in turn, take control of our humanity?

CREDITS

Created by

Marie Béland

Performance

Laurie-Anne Langis, who also contributed to the creation process

Accompanied by

Sophie Michaud

Costume and accessories

Marie Béland and Laurie-Anne Langis

Creation residencies

Quai 5160, École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (2019), Studio Lucie Grégoire (2019)