A new book from German imprint Hatje Cantz, bodies in urban spaces (set to be released stateside in the fall), is a chronicle of recent experiments in Austrian choreographer Willi Dorner's unique brand of public art, in which dancers serve as the building blocks for temporary sculptural installations in cities across the U.S. and Europe. By introducing unexpected physicality into otherwise mundane urban spaces, Dorner draws our attention to the scale and functionality of built environments.
While some of these photographs focus on the choreography itself, others showcase onlookers' responses—ranging from bemused to indifferent. The presence of these visible onlookers remind us, even as viewers once-removed, to pay closer attention to public spaces and how we use them.
