Residency - Petra Najman i Ivan Svaguša: Corvus Obscura

In November, the Mediterranean Dance Center hosts circus artists Petra Najman and Ivan Svaguša for a residency dedicated to the development of their new project, Corvus Obscura. Their residency takes place as part of the Circus Residency Network and its 2026 selection.
Corvus Obscura has been in development since 2024 and was selected this year as one of ten finalists of circusnext, a European platform supporting emerging contemporary circus projects.

 

Creative Team

Authors and Performers: Petra Najman and Ivan Svaguša
Concept, Development and Performance: Petra Najman and Ivan Svaguša
Production: T.O.A., Bučni Stripovi
Supported by: circusnext, Scena Ribnjak, Circus Residency Network, Cirkus Kolektiv, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia
Photography: Christophe Raynaud de Lage

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About the Project

Corvus Obscura is an interdisciplinary contemporary circus project combining trapeze, physical theatre, live digital spatial drawing, mat manipulation and experimental music.

At the heart of the artistic research is the concept of liminal space, a space between opposites such as light and darkness, the visible and the illusory, and the external and internal worlds. Through the relationship between these extremes, the artists explore the possibility of achieving balance, as well as moments when that balance is disrupted.

A central element of the performance is the relationship between physical movement and drawing created live. Bodily movement and the act of drawing develop alongside one another, complementing or contrasting with each other to create shifting visual environments. Drawing is not merely a scenographic element but an active part of the performance, revealing new layers of movement and shaping the space in which the performers move.