Alexander Kaniewski
Alexander Kaniewski is a Warwick-based artist, director, designer and theatre maker whose styles explore contemporary opera, ‘The Theatre of Images’ and performance art. Alex is also a community theatre practitioner, developing community events, performances and school workshops as a Director of A Book Of Portraits CIC. Alex has been involved with the drama programme at Warwick School since 2018, designing and making the costumes for many of school shows as well as teaching on the youth theatre programme.
Alex received his degree in Theatre from York St John University before being appointed the university’s first Theatre Artist in Residence in 2018. In 2023 Alex received an MMus in Experimental Performance from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. This year Alex was awarded an M4C scholarship to start his PhD at De Montfort University and Birmingham Conservatoire. For the next three years he will be researching:
Curating Tradition: The Role of the Artist as Facilitator Within British Folk Performance Cultures.
Link to PhD Proposal:
Artist in residency at York St John University
Alexander Kaniewski was the first artist in residence in theatre at York St John University, and worked closely with the University to celebrate their 50 years of theatre. As part of this Alexander was awarded the graduate prize at the Theatre Royal producing MEDEA MARIA for their Literature Festival in March 2018.
Contemporary Opera
Alexanders' first opera ‘A Very Pleasant Pineapple’ explored the life and work of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. An opera of 10 seven minute sections it visually represented the world of Wittgenstein, presenting images, movement and dance from his life and texts inspired by his work. The music of the opera was composed and conducted by Lauren Leigh and was performed live during the performance.
Performance art practice
Alexanders' personal performance art practice engages with the bodys' interaction to natural and handmade materials and objects. It focuses upon how through their manipulation, meaning can be conveyed and an experience transferred.
Alexander is also a member of the performance art group ‘Cutting Clouds Performance’ the group make works in response to natural and man-made environments, responding to and disrupting these environments as three bodies in the landscape. Their work explores a deep personal connection to normally natural landscapes in which a sense of presence is achieved and shared with their audience.
Education
First Class Honours Degree - Theatre, York St John University
MMus Distinction - Experimental Performance, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
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