CCP is pleased to present Olga, a major video work by Melbourne-based artist Zoë Croggon, best known for her exquisite photo-collages that explore the body and its relationship to architectural space.
Olga is a meditation on the diffusion of cultural traditions expressed through dance, developed through intimate exchanges between Croggon and 88-year-old Ithacan folk dancer Olga Black. The video alternates between footage of Olga in her Melbourne home and in traditional folk costume, dancing to an a cappella rendition of the Rebetiko song Varka Mou Bogiatismeni (My Painted Boat). The song explores the heartache of departure from the Dodecanese Islands (a similar group of Greek islands to where Olga’s parents were born, prior to immigrating to Australia), in which the singer appeals repeatedly to the Virgin Mary to comfort her broken heart.
Performing in front of a shrine embellished with religious and cultural icons (many depicting the Madonna), Olga dances, highlighting the Marian devotion in traditionally patriarchal cultures as a site for female expression.
Presenting an intimate portrait of Olga Black, this work considers the relationship between superstition, religion, and culture while continuing Croggon’s long-standing interest in movement and performance.