Laurent Delom's solo takes as a starting point Nijinski’s masterpiece “Afternoon of a Faun” (1912). This major piece was already taking as reference the famous Greek sculpture of the Sleeping Faun, which entered the Musée du Louvre in Paris in 1882. The fantasy surrounding the Faun then was displaying under classicist canons the most erotic masculine feature of the time.

In his latest piece, Laurent Delom offers a new vision over such masculinity codes from a contemporary point of view. He wondered where do we meet similar erotic masculine figures in the popular culture of today: where is the Faun of our times?

In this solo work, Laurent Delom uses the original music by Debussy “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un Faune”. Playing irreverently with classic references while always leaving room for ambiguity, a satirical discourse slowly unfolds. It builds on contrasts while repeating similar actions, provoking a comparative dynamic between the figures at play. However these masculine figures that are clashing against one another are no caricatures. They can be found on other stages embodied with complete honesty and conviction.

This piece questions the intent of someone who wants to subject himself to such masculinity codes: what is it that people want to tell when they embrace these codes? Are they saying I am like you? or I am like the one I desire? Eventually, this piece arises from a personal questioning of his author, shared with other male creators: how do I present myself as a man in front of the audience? how visible –or camouflaged, should be my sexual orientation while I am on stage? Asking this taboo question reveals how sometimes our artistic choices might be prejudiced by how we –as dancers or creators, wish to be perceived socially outside the theatre.

25 min. Created and premiered in Mexico in October 2016.

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