Text: Alina Zhukova
2/06/2023

Mokhova's installations serve as gateways to landscapes and emotional states that resonate with everyone at a sensory level—such as the shimmering water surface of a river, the gentle rustling of rain-soaked grass, or a serene forest landscape. However, these portals exhibit imperfections: glitches, reflections, and fragmented spaces. The images appear blurry and distorted. The intention is to evoke the eerie feeling of the "uncanny valley," where our subconscious mind hesitates to fully trust our perceptions, suspecting that what we see may not be true.

This human predicament, this fragmented state of mind, engenders inner combat within each individual. This inherent fragmentation causes suffering and compels us to embark on an endless quest for harmony and happiness.

This existential anguish is powerfully conveyed through the improvised movement performance by Georgii Kobiashvili and Alina Mishnina. Their part of the performance seeks to represent the opposing forces of the world's duality through movement improvisation and unfettered thoughts.

Georgii Kobiashvili, the leading performer and principal choreographer of this captivating production, brings a unique artistic style inspired by his appreciation for the fluidity and grace found in martial arts movements. In his choreography, Kobiashvili seamlessly interweaves opposing energies, embodying the ebb and flow of conflict and harmony with emotionally contrasting and sharp movements. His dynamic composition of movements skillfully navigates between explosive bursts of power and moments of delicate restraint, creating a choreographic language that resonates with the audience's ever-changing emotions.

The contrasting elements within Kobiashvili's choreography captivate the viewers' attention. His controlled restrained movements exude a sense of discipline and precision, holding the audience in suspense, while sudden bursts of emotion provide a powerful release, evoking a profound emotional response. This interplay between controlled restraint and emotional outpourings adds depth and intensity to his choreographic compositions, keeping the audience engaged throughout the performance. Kobiashvili's acute awareness of spatial dynamics further enhances the choreography, allowing for seamless transitions between contrasting movements and creating a visually stunning and emotionally resonant experience.

Alina Mishnina, known for her performances on drama theater stages in Irkutsk and Moscow, seamlessly integrates her expertise in psychological theater into this production. Her expressions, improvised movements, and gestures intertwine with ethereal music, creating a transcendent experience for the viewers. Mishnina appears as a multifaceted protagonist, fluidly embodying various personas, her movements surprising and unrestricted. Yet, amidst this fluidity, every viewer can recognize themselves in the depths of her emotions, experiencing the joys and struggles of life masterfully expressed on stage.

According to Sergey Kamenskiy, the choreography was a collaborative effort, with each artist contributing different dance sketches on the theme. Some of this material was incorporated into the final performance in modified forms. From there, the performers embarked on improvisation, co-creating the experience with the audience. Kamenskiy's curatorial style, characterized by a remarkable ability to freely combine diverse art forms and daringly explore emotionally challenging themes as well as working with collective memories, played a pivotal role in shaping the audience's reception of the performance. His talent for experimentation and unconventionality allowed this production to transcend traditional boundaries, resulting in a truly exceptional and thought-provoking experience.

Dmitry Garin is widely recognized throughout the country for his exceptional contemporary music and notable sound productions for leading theatrical performances. "Mental Fight" showcases his key stylistic strengths with minimal yet impactful sound effects. These effects are often unexpected and sometimes raw, transcending the physical space and transporting viewers to otherworldly realms where only music can follow. Garin's mastery lies in creating immersive atmospheres, and he skillfully emphasizes the inner struggle through experimental electronic effects that leave listeners wondering about the origin of such captivating sounds.

Garin's music acted as a bridge, connecting the actors' expressions and gestures to the visual installations created by Anastasia Mokhova. The ethereal soundscape he crafted created a sonic landscape that complemented the improvised movements, further immersing the audience in the intricate layers of the performance. Garin's expertly crafted musical arrangements heightened the atmosphere and deepened the connection between the audience, the actors, and the visual installations, resulting in a truly multisensory journey.