Chiara Bersani on the tracks of the unicorn

Chiara Bersani, 32, is a self-proclaimed being of flesh, muscles and bones of a unicorn. In her show "Gentle Unicorn" at Antigel Festival in Geneva, the 98cm tall dancer approaches the personality and imagery of the unicorn from her own physical appearance. Through her performance, Bersani does justice to these fictional creatures that have grown up in the minds of humans but whose origins are unknown. In human representation, the unicorn is a symbol of fragility and is perceived as a game.

Throughout history, their roots have been lost as generations of humans have followed. At the time, it was an ox, represented in profile, with a single horn. A perfect scapegoat for those who want to invest it with different types of meanings. Thus, over the centuries, the unicorn has changed shape ("an ox with one horn only"; "a mixture of horse and donkey"; "a horse with goat hooves and a lion's tail") and meaning, and has become a contemporary pop icon.The artist is in search of a lost humanity, hidden under multiple layers of judgment and superficiality. Not surprising when you consider that Chiara Bersani is interested in the political significance of a body in interaction with society.

The unicorn, a creature without family and without history, has been exploited and abused by human beings, deprived of the right to speak. Today, the performer wishes to repair their wounds by giving them love and a proper story. Finally, she gives them a voice by lending them her skin, her breath, her eyes, her voice and her movements.

We are excited to see the performance of Chiara Bersani on February 21 and 22 at Antigel Festival at the Centre du Grütli. Tickets and infos on the website link!

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