Joanna Leśnierowska: Performance conservation as a political act - A conversation with Hanna B. Hölling

In this chapter, Joanna Leśnierowska stresses the significance of caring for both performance artworks and the artists themselves. Leśnierowska expresses reservations regarding the terms ‘conservation’ and ‘preservation’ as they conjure images of lifeless specimens preserved in jars. She addresses the difficulties associated with preserving ephemeral art and suggests that traditional archiving and documenting methods may not fully capture the essence of a performance, which thrives in the dynamic exchange between artists and the audience. Leśnierowska shares her experiences working on Yanka Rudzka, a Polish choreographer active in Brazil. She discusses the challenges of reconstructing Rudzka’s work and explains that the project’s focus was on reactivating Rudzka’s interest in traditional culture and choreography. She also touches upon the role of speculation in preserving performances, emphasizing its importance in reimagining history to connect communities and identities. The conversation underscores the political nature of performance preservation and the responsibility of curators and artists to select what to preserve and what to omit. Leśnierowska highlights the significance of preserving dance traditions and gestures to reclaim them from political agendas and return them to the realm of the body. She also describes how her work as a choreographer revolves around reactivating and layering performances, fostering an ongoing artistic lineage rather than aiming for static preservation. She even contemplates the use of comics as a method for documenting performances and underscores the pivotal role of the audience in activating choreography.