Carrion : Episode 1

Justin Talplacido Shoulder

Justin Shoulder becomes Carrion, the post-human spectre in this experimental performance evocation. Birthed from Shoulder’s ever evolving bestiary The Phasmahammer a family of invented mythical beings, Carrion muses on what it means to be human in an era when our destructive influence over the planet is redefining the laws of nature.

“A dissimulation of finches in collective bird song tweet requiem in d-minor, polyphonic tones carry on the wind. Warm rain falling. Steam. Lyrebirds mimic chainsaws while Bower birds collect and angle sinews of iridescent cabling building the form of an ancient child’s body. Sign: a snake gets trapped in an endless loop of its own skin after shedding.Soft-bodied legless larva are downloaded, they slither beneath the old baby’s flesh. Leeches placed on the nervous system gently animate this lobotomized vessel. The Iris dilates red, timelines streaming abject horror punctuated by glistening moments of poetry. Its soft bony hands begin to scratch at the earth at the base of a tree, a pulsing heart is lifted from its base.”

From Fusebox At once ancient but also of the future, to encounter Carrion is to see past, present, and future collapse. A cyborg, a mythic creature, a specter of the post human, Justin Shoulder’s invention is a chimera that asks us to rethink our understanding of human, of identity, and of nature. Carrion is a liminal figure, born out of myths of the past, a witness to the ruins of our present, and a harbinger of a queer future. Shoulder’s club performance presents the first chapter in the myth of Carrion, a fleeting glimpse of this incredible creature.

CREATIVE TEAM

Lead Artist: Justin Shoulder Composer: Nick Wales Mentor: Victoria Hunt Costume Design: Matthew Stegh + Justin Shoulder Producer: Insite Arts

The Fusebox Festival Hub is made possible with the support of Native Hostel