Presenting a series of installations, performances, spoken-word events, readings and conversations, Arts House will reveal and explore the complex relationships of place and belonging from 19 July 2017.
Arts House Artistic Director Angharad Wynne-Jones said the works, will explore narratives around the violence of colonialism, the migration of people as refugees or those asserting new futures, and our connection to the land on which we live on.
“Twelve lead artists and their collaborators from across the globe, and around the corner, are bringing their urgent, powerful explorations of histories and possible futures to Arts House in July,” said Wynne-Jones.
Artists include multi-media spoken word maestro Nástio Mosquito with his work Respectable Thief (27 – 29 July). Known for his performances, videos, music and poetry with an intense commitment to the open-ended potential of language, Mosquito comes to Arts House via MoMA (NY) and Berliner Festspiele (BER). Stéphanie Kabanyana Kanyandekwe will question, listen, transcribe into and perform from the scores on the walls of her re-constructed lounge room in Sonic Hieroglyphs (29 – 30 July).
South African based Sethembile Msezane will present Excerpts from the Past (29 – 30 July) – a powerfully eloquent love letter to those who have been disposed of their history; and Sydney’s PYT | Fairfield will present Tribunal (20 – 23 July) – a truth-telling and fiercely ambitious verbatim performance addressing Australia’s history through the parallel stories of Indigenous Australia and newly arrived refugees.
The series also features local Melbourne-based artists including the 2017 Slamalamadingdong Champion, wani Le Frère with his first full-feature solo show Tales of an Afronaut (26 – 28 July); and Samara Hersch and Lara Thoms with the world premiere of We All Know What’s Happening (19 – 22 July) – a collaborative work with seven young people in Melbourne in response to Australia’s ongoing relationship with Nauru.
“Through this series of performances, discussions, readings, lively interactions and a special large Supper Club (25 July) in the main hall of the North Melbourne Town Hall, audiences can expect to be taken to new worlds through ancient, new and crucial narratives,” said Wynne-Jones.
For more information and complete program, visit: www.artshouse.com.au for details.
Image: We All Know What’s Happening – photo by Bryony Jackson