What is butō? Butō is a movement art form and avant-garde art that emerged in Japan in the late 1950s. Butō means “step into the dark” – not only referring to the tragedy caused by the atomic bomb in the consciousness of the Japanese nation, but also highlighting the altered state of consciousness that encourages a connection with archetypal images, creativity and resources hidden in everyday life. Butō is also a return to ancient, primordial roots.
Butō has changed along with world trends, significantly influencing the art scene – it can also be attributed to physical, dance or movement theater and interdisciplinary art expressions. Butō addresses the senses, feelings and emotions from the subtle to the grotesque, it is not understandable “with reason or logic”. It is a corporeal, ancient language of images and symbols that emerges from the deepest layers of the psyche. It is not for nothing that butō is called “the archaeology of the body”, “the dance of entwined roots” or “the dance of darkness” – what can be found there can be both divine and terrifying. Butō – the moment between inhalation and exhalation.
