Dimitris Papaioannou, the Greek director, choreographer, and visual artist (who choreographed, among others, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games Ceremonies where björk delivered an incredible performance) is back at Sadler’s Wells in London for a few nights only, with INK, a contemporary art-meets-performance piece. It’s a visual tour-de-force, with a lot of water.

The sold-out shows marks the UK return of the Greek prodigy who spent the last few years going back to his roots as a painter. He was a student of the Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis before studying at the Athens School of Fine Arts. He quotes Bob Wilson, Federico Fellini and Jannis Kounellis as inspirations.

With INK, Papaioannou continues his performative investigation of the human body as ‘the only tool to communicate’, in his own words. INK tackles themes of domination, desire and spirituality for an hour where transitions between scenes are pure perfection. Conceptually, contrasts and juxtapositions are at the heart of this fantastic piece.

In the mysterious aquatic realm of INK, a duet becomes a duel owing to the impact of primordial forces. Papaioannou is joined on stage by (the very nude) collaborator and dancer Šuka Horn in a physical tension, at times dark, poetic and physically very challenging. This stunning gravity-defying show fluctuates between silence and music, black and white, civilisation and wasteland, sensuality and torture, domination and submission.

Conceived during the pandemic of covid 19, INK explores the boundaries of reality by looking through the lenses of Surrealism (René Magritte is cited as another inspiration), Science Fiction (recalling at times scenes from 2001 A Space Odyssey) and Horror genres. It’s a stylistic performance brilliantly marrying theatre, visual arts and circus both in form and content.

The show opens and closes with Papaioannou striking an octopus, references to the Herbert List pictures of Corfu perhaps. He said: “In one of my older works called Sappho, also one of the weirdest and queerest projects I’ve ever done, there’s a scene in which a fisherman pounds an octopus on rocks, 39 times causing the lesbian poet to have an orgasmic spasm. Octopus is a childhood memory. It brings intense sexuality to mind. This striking of the octopus is like a sexual act of death.”

Viewers hold their breath in front of these remarkable tableaux vivants where both characters, without affirming any specific meaning, can be seen playing with water, eating fish, being exhibited in circus-like arena, or engaging in sensual caresses. This carnal show culminates with a mystic moment where Šuka Horn seemingly goes from primate to human in a stunning run evoking centuries of evolution. This striking moment is activated by the moving and vibrant plastic curtains surrounding the stage.

Every element, from record player, disco ball and bright red plastic pipes play a role in INK. The attention to details throughout – from light to materiality – is remarkable, thus showing Papaioannou’s colossal experience and talent. Papaioannou is an artist who gives the impression to paint a canvas on stage.

INK is a master stroke which stimulates imagination, an evocation of life and death. It also recalls Greek landscapes (the sea, sunshine, and goat bells), culture and history; a visual language found in previous pieces.

It is a spectacular visual feast, contrasting with the 2019 and 2022 Sadler’s Wells performances of The Great Tamer and Transverse Orientation. Reflecting on previous works and on his career, Papaioannou said: “Primal Matter is still my favourite work. It was also the work that introduced him to London audiences, which he credits to the persistence and intelligence of the former Dance Umbrella Director, Emma Gladstone who so sadly died earlier this year.”

You’ll be lucky if you’ve got tickets for the remaining performances and you will keep thinking about the show the next day.

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Images: Dimitris Papaioannou in INK (2020) © Julian Mommert