Friday 21 June at 5pm • Organised by Claire Flannery • In collaboration with 
Lisa McLoughlin, Choreography Francesco Bartoli, Video • Brian Concannon, Photography

The act of shaking hands is a performance. Humans alone perform this act, frequently and often on a daily basis. The context defines the intensity and weight placed upon this single gesture that joins two bodies together in a physical bond. It is a performance we enact to demonstrate genuine interest, commonality, shared integrity and is generally servant to a social occasion or contractual agreement. In ‘The Longest Handshake’ this act is isolated and performed by up to one hundred people simultaneously.

On a vast beach, two long lines of people will be facing each other, and moving from a considerable distance, will slowly walk towards a central point in a choreographic gesture of approximation. The performance will culminate in a collective handshake of people that may know or not know each other, an act that expressly magnifies our awareness and aims to realise its poetic potential.

The conscientious handshake will define a moment in which the performers become mindful of their individuality and the response that their body and person prompts and arouses in another. The scenic location will be a calm, expansive bay overlooking the Irish Sea on a stretch of North Dublin beach measuring 2.5km long and almost 1km from sand to sea at low tide. The date will be the peak of the year’s light and energy: the Summer Solstice on 21st of June.

Choreographed by acclaimed contemporary dancer Lisa McLoughlin, ‘The Longest Handshake’ will be documented by the London-based visual artist Francesco Bartoli, who filming from a long distance, will ensure that there is no invasive close-ups or interruption of the experience for the people involved. The intention is to highlight the primacy of the performance.

‘The Longest Handshake’ humbly follows in the poetic footsteps of great works such as Francis Alys’ ‘When Faith Moves Mountains’ performed in Lima Peru 2002, Melanie Manchot’s ‘Celebration’ filmed in east London 2010 and commissioned by the Whitechapel Gallery. The concept was very originally inspired by Aleksandra Mir’s ‘The Seduction of Galileo Galilei’ 2011, seen at the Whitney, New York in February 2012.

The performers will be recruited among the local populationof Skerries and various circles of friends, and friends of friends according to word of mouth. If you wish to participate contact claire@artfeelers.com

The performance will be followed by an After Party at the Sailing Club, Harbour Road, Skerries. RSVP is essential as space is limited. Email claire@artfeelers.com to register your interest in coming.