And Yet, It Floats - Online Shibari Performances in pandemic times

On April 26, 2021, a diverse group of rope artists, invited by Karada House to participate in a live Zoom session, met online and tied to a live soundtrack.

And yet, it floats – trailer

After a crazy year — one in which strange floating particles turned the world inside out and catalysed transformations that had once seemed unthinkable — this encounter allowed the group a moment of collective artistic collaboration.

Stretched across seven time zones, from Canada to China, the artists were bound by an urge to explore movement within restriction, to float freely through disappearing into a task, to flourish despite constraints. The result is this series.

The Live Soundtrack is from Ghost Acres and can be bought on Bandcamp

You can watch the sessions on this page, or play them all on Vimeo.

Session 1/9: Sophia Rose

I’m Sophia, I live in London. I’ve been involved in rope and BDSM since 2013. My interest and passion lie in what’s beneath the surface… in many senses. I enjoy thinking about how our bodies, minds, and ways of being become shaped consciously and unconsciously, and using physical tools and practices to explore these thoughts and ideas… rope being one of them.

I haven’t been tied by another person for quite some time. Self-tying and exploring movement with ropes has been a way to ground, connect and comfort through the last year which has brought a lot of uncertainty and separation. I love the presence I feel when I am sensing my needs and desires as I tie without a plan or direction, simply listening in the moment to what arises and responding.

Being a part of this project was a pleasure. Every time I have the chance to tie along to Tom’s live music I am inspired to try something different and surprised with where I end up.

Thank you Karada house for bringing this piece together, it is moving to stay connected to art and collaborative projects during this time.

Sophia’s Instagram: instagram.com/sophia___rose_/

We’ve got you with your whole rope journey – after getting your basics sorted, you can move on to our weekly shibari classes. Our core classes work like a level-up system all the way from foundations to suspensions and creativity.

Session 2/9: Subay & S

I am Subay, a shibari artist based in Hong Kong (and relocating to London soon).

To me, the beauty of shibari lies in both the form and the heart. It is not about tying the body, but the ghost in the shell. It is about living – living the moment with my partner, reliving the past that often reveals our vulnerabilities, and anticipating and exploring a future path to be taken on by two persons.

In light of covid and social distancing measures, we have temporarily lost the chance to connect with many kind souls in person. What is supposed to be intimate has become more distant in this difficult time. In this zoom live, I would like to share with you the intimacy in ropes that we have all missed and connect with people across the world in the time of social distancing via zoom.

This live is relatively slow-paced and soft, using simple techniques. This is a deliberate choice as I would love to dedicate more of my energy to living the moment, being present, and being real with my model, as well as because I did this live with injures to my shoulder and finger joints.

While we push limits, we also have to embrace our limits. It is part of the journey, and part of life – finding and seeing beauty in imperfection.

Thank you Karada House for creating this amazing opportunity for me and S to stay connected to the global shibari community.

Subay’s instagram: instagram.com/subay_kokorostudio
S’s instagram: instagram.com/shibari_lover_S