An ever-changing celebration of the avant garde Fluxus movement is about to enter its final stage with extreme ironing and invisible performances.
The residue…what remains exhibition, which includes works by key Fluxus artists, has been rehung and is being relaunched with new works arriving and some retiring. This allows its curator, the American choreographer Sue Schroeder, to draw out new connections from the works focusing on ideas of peace and redemption during our tumultuous times.
This third and final stage of the exhibition begins on the evening of Thursday 23rd April at The Gallery on campus at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Pic: Anna Halprin surrounded by dancers during a performance of Circle the Earth circa 1980.
In this revisioning of the exhibition, major works by the choreographer Anna Halprin will arrive, creating an exhibition focused on movement and performance-based practices for the final six weeks of the exhibition. Halprin was a key choreographer in the United States during the second half of the 20th century and her influence continues to be felt today.
From extreme ironing to invisible performances the exhibition provides opportunities both to see and to participate in key performance artworks.
Opening the exhibition will be a project from Polly Motley and Molly Davies working with the local community to create a new performance and video piece to be seen by the public on the evening of Friday 24th April. They will also produce a version of Barbara Dilley’s iconic work, The Grid showing on the afternoon of Saturday 25th April.
Then on, Sunday 26th May, there will be a performance of Anna Halprin’s major community dance work, Planetary Dance facilitated by Tamalpa UK. There are numerous further performances, events and talks that bring to life Schroeder’s exhibition during its final weeks, many of which invite participation.
residue... what remains draws on key collections from across Europe and the United States providing a rich overview of the legacies of Fluxus artists and the group’s continuing influence on contemporary visual arts, dance, theatre, film, music and performance.
The exhibition is inspired by Professor Nicholas Zurbrugg whom at the end of the twentieth century brought together an exceptional collection of Fluxus artworks at De Montfort University. Schroeder's exhibition builds on his extraordinary legacy to create an ever-changing exhibition that includes a rich performance program, especially in this final iteration of the show.
The title, residue, what remains suggest the transience of many of the works, whether scores to be performed or marks left after an event. The exhibition draws on the logics of choreography and performance to reimagine what an exhibition can be. Scores suggest moments yet to happen, documents capture moments past and the exhibition provides a stage for live activity whose remains then integrate into the exhibition.
Schroeder, who is Artistic Director of US-based Core Dance, has a long and rich history as a choreographer. She was student of Anna Halprin and remained friends with her through her life. Her experience and practice of choreography has shaped the exhibition so that live activity and the passage of time are as important to the show as the space it inhabits.
Many of the events invite participants to be involved. For those interested in being a part of this historic exhibition please email leicestergallery@dmu.ac.uk
The exhibition has been developed by Leicester Gallery and Core Dance. It has been made possible through a major loan from our lead partner, Fondazione Bonotto and further support from the John Cage Trust, Bob Rauschenberg Gallery, Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center, Fabric Workshop and Museum, Graphic Studio, Tamalpa Institute Center for the Halprin Work, Halprin Legacy Lab, Jade Dillinger, the Yoko Ono Studio, The John Erickson Museum of Art, Unnoticed Festival and others.
Admission to the exhibition and all associated events and activities is free.
residue... runs until Sunday June 7th at The Gallery on DMU’s Leicester campus at LE2 7BJ.
The residue…what remains programme
Friday, April 24, 2026, 6pm
Dreams and Surprises: Dances Projections and Sound,
culmination of Davies/Motley Residency.
Pace Building, De Montfort University
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 1pm
Gallery Talk with Molly Davies, Polly Motley and Sue Schroeder
Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 3pm
Barbara Dilley’s The Grid Map of Space
with Polly Motley & Leicester Community
The Lawn outside Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 5pm
Lisa Nelson’s TuneZoom (Live Stream performance)
Pace Building, De Montfort University
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 1pm onwards
Yoko Ono Performance Scores with Deane McQueen & The Cool Company
Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University
Friday, Saturday, Sunday May 15, 16, 17, 2026
Erika Senft Miller/Ironing Piece (Residency and Live Performances)
Locations across Leicester
Sunday, May 24, 2026, 1pm
Anna Halprin’s Planetary Dance
Lawn outside Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University
Saturday, June 6. 2026, Midday to 5pm
The Concept Bank, an Initiative of the Unnoticed Art Festival
The Leicester Gallery at DMU
Saturday, Sunday, June 6, 7, 2026
Riverside Festival
Posted on Friday 17 April 2026