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Introduction to |
new installation work + performances
by virtual migrants
[ DESCRIPTION ] [ AESTHETICS ] [ INTERVIEWS ]
3 Oct - 29 Nov at The Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA Tel: 0117 917 2300
incl. performances:
'Climate Racism' on Sunday 4 Oct, 2pm, FREE
'Third Resistance' on Saturday 7 Nov, 2pm, FREE
plus a forthcoming VM performance at Manchester's Band On The Wall, Sunday 13 Dec, 7.30pm
An installation in which compelling live and
recorded local and global dialogues change and evolve the work alongside
colliding imagery and music.
Virtual Migrants embark on a new direction, an investigation involving art, socio-political research, activism and science. Climate change is hurtling towards a super-holocaust mostly of the ‘Third’ world, caused by the continuing demands of the industrialised ‘first’ economies, economies that developed through mass exploitation and murder over the past few hundred years. The Centre Cannot Hold, an ongoing project, discusses climate imperialism, the commodification of humans and the environment, and predictions of new and vastly heightened racisms and fear politics.
Beginning at the Arnolfini
Gallery in Bristol, ‘Part 1’ is an evolving installation, a cultural
space containing projected videos and audio through which people locally and
globally will speak about and connect historical and contemporary narratives and
visuals, current at any time a visitor engages with the work.
Plus occasional performances with live dialogue/music.
Audience members can also speak live, arrange a video discussion, or contribute text via our blog www.centrecannothold.wordpress.com . The aesthetics aim to encourage critical discussion and thought, a here and now connection without commodification. Get involved: info(at)virtualmigrants.com www.virtualmigrants.com .
Virtual Migrants are pleased to be working locally in Bristol with the Black Development Agency and also The Pierian Centre; the nature of this work cannot be bound by the limitations of art galleries. This project follows on from virtual migrants' trial performance titled 'Register' at CUBE gallery in May, and from Kooj's paper presentation at ISEA in Belfast in August (available on the blog site).
Produced by: Kooj Chuhan (artistic director and video), Aidan Jolly (music/audio), Jaya Graves (research) and Tracey Zengeni (associate visual artist).
Specially commissioned by and showing at the “C Words” show on climate justice, curated by PLATFORM, at the Arnolfini, Bristol (UK), 3rd Oct – 29th Nov 2009. More info HERE.
A primary aim of the project is to encourage critical discussion and thought, and our challenge is to use cultural and aesthetic means to elevate this above the endemic indulgence in aesthetic form. The work presented at The Arnolfini links with the wider project which will also involve people and locations in Bristol outside the Arnolfini and will be ongoing after the end of this exhibition. The project intends to gradually develop links across the UK and with other continents and countries. This is simply “Part 1”, our first stage of an investigation which is too deep to complete in this short time frame, and of a subject too critically central to understanding both past and future to be a 'one-off' investigation.
Supported by the Arts Council England
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digital media artists and productions responding to themes of race, migration and globalisation contact: info[a]virtualmigrants.com |