Drawing on ancient rites of passage and initiation, Tarasenko explores the process of separation — the often painful but necessary act of breaking away from the past, familiar attachments and a former sense of identity. The term autotomy, borrowed from biology, refers to the ability of certain animals to shed a part of their own body in order to survive. Within the performance, this phenomenon takes on a metaphorical meaning, becoming an image of freeing through loss.

The performance is conceived, directed and performed by Alexander Tarasenko, with a live sound accompaniment created and performed by artist Alessandro Paiano.

Alexander Tarasenko is a London-based artist whose practice spans performance, sculpture, installation, photography and video. His artistic research centres on anxiety, neuroses, shame and the experience of initiation. In his recent work, he draws parallels between contemporary psychological and emotional states and archetypal forms of ritual action found in ancient ceremonies, myths and folktales across different cultures.

Alessandro Paiano is an artist based in New York and London. His multidisciplinary practice encompasses performance, installation, video, sound and participatory art. His work explores identity, displacement, visibility and human connection, often employing humour, repetition and the tension between spoken language and material presence.

Autotomy for the Curious — a performance by Alexander Tarasenko