This piece is a central part of Samama's broader portfolio, which exists at the intersection of dance, theatre, and visual art. Michal Samama Background Materials
Reviewers from the New York Times and footage from Vimeo describe several defining features of the work: michal_samama_-_background_materials (Original)...
Samama uses a whistle to make her labored breathing audible, emphasizing the physical exertion required to "be a body". This piece is a central part of Samama's
The performance often moves through non-traditional spaces, such as lobbies, elevator shafts, and basements, treating the venue itself as a "background material" to be excavated. Background Materials is a hybrid event that combines
Background Materials is a hybrid event that combines two of Samama’s previous performance pieces into a single narrative arc: Core Material Action & Meaning The concrete wall
The piece highlights sensory data that usually goes unnoticed—what Samama calls "background noise"—precisely because these elements are what anchor us to reality.
Samama often morphs into the materials she uses. For example, she may use her fingers like "fishhooks" to distort her face into a snout, blurring the line between human and animal/object.