“I used to think about the universe as a solar complexity. But now I know, it’s simply colour.”

Concept & camera: Imogen Mansfield — https://instagram.com/imogenski
Muse: Ellinor Ødegård Staurbakk — https://instagram.com/ellinoras
Still photography: Solène Milcent — https://instagram.com/solene.milcent
Costume design: Paola Idrontino — https://instagram.com/paolaidrontinoart
Words & voice: Katya Gray — https://instagram.com/katya_gray
Title illustration: Katrina Eglite — https://instagram.com/katrinaeglite
Location: Barcelona

SIX is a screendance series of six portraits of female artists, released periodically during the year of 2019. Each part unites film, photography, spoken word, and design, and is created in a different place in the world. Through this series we capture the essence of the inner divine feminine, stripped back to her purest form, discovering the elegant energy of the female, and recognising our diversity.

In Part III of her film series SIX, director Imogen Mansfield introduces dancer and muse, Ellinor Ødegård Staurbakk, in a piece that expresses and investigates the notion of colour. Gently guided by the elegant words and voice of Katya Gray, with costume design by textile artist Paola Idrontino, we enter into this curious world; intrigued by its innocence and grace. Presented alongside a delicate series of analogue and polaroid images by photographer Solène Milcent.

I do not know myself as I do by my name
through this I am linked with the sea
do you think the fish know thy name?
what difference would it make

I run as wholeness while wrapped up in complete solitude
linear to the stream
moving sequentially
I do love to touch the wind
Have you tried it?
Tis the one that wakes the willow tree
The tree that wakes that ground
The roots that hold the source

I may seem an unconventional human to most
I just seem to like the other things
I love to be naked too
Not to show or expose or anything really
It’s just closer to ‘I’
less matter
& more being

how do you think one comes to know themselves?
To feel themselves
To see themselves
many holy hours I have spent
sitting cross legged in my room
Tracing my curves
Watching my breath
Hearing my heart pace
But such things are purely exterior
Physical vessels crossing roads

It frustrates me
That,
the parts that make any real movement at all
I can’t even see
maybe that frustration is the reason why I leave
you see…
I’m not always here when I move,
in this reality of doll house living that is,
it feels as if I am in my own sphere
but it’s not really that at all

Really,
I am simply entering colour
Colour
Yes
Colour

for when one forgets all that has been layered since our birth, we re-tie the petalled stems and find our
infinite bind with the universe
I used to think about the universe as a solar complexity
But now I know
It’s simply colour
Shape shifting, melding, travelling colour.
Mix me with anything at all and I am effected

To touch
breathe
dance
exist with it all
Is to exist

As colour.