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Ed Holland

Jul 24

ReSounding Ep.25 – What Art Can Do with Kate McMillan

By Podcast

Kate McMillan is an artist, academic, and artistic researcher whose work is dedicated to exploring the afterlives of colonialism, the lived experience of migration, and the narratives of women and migrants through complex evocative site-specific installations.

Her latest work, Never At Sea is richly symbolic work developed for St Mary Le Strand Church in the heart of historic central London. The piece explores the interconnection between climate crisis and refugee experience. In the episode Kate tells us all about how she brought together so many strands of artistic enquiry, and shares with us her research on how the arts industry continues to stratify people based on identity, gender, and biography.

Find Kate McMillan at:
www.katemcmillan.net/
@kate_mcmillan_

This episode features music from Never At Sea composed by Cat Hope.

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Jul 06

ReSounding Ep.24 – Filming Asylum with Lizzi & John Swatland

By Podcast

In the early 2000’s Lizzi and John Swatland were not yet filmmakers or activists. After a chance encounter with a famous musician, however, the two soon found themselves involved in advocating for better treatment of refugees in Australia. Their involvement continued to grow into what would become Scattered People: a feature length documentary telling the stories of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia, and how musicians were there to meet and support them.

Scattered People is an inspiring documentary showing how music and the arts can be the supporting tool that politics and policy often cannot. In this interview Lizzi and John tell us all about their amazing journey into the world of filmmaking, the support of famous artists along the way, and the wonderful life that the film has taken since its release.

This episode features audio excerpts from the film Scattered People, used with kind permission from Being Reel Films.
Watch the trailer here.

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

May 29

ReSounding Ep.23 – Taking the Stage with Selam Amare

By Podcast

Is it ok to make a joke of the refugee situation in Europe? Meet the London-based initiative that suggests that sometimes, humor can indeed be the best medicine!

No Direction Home, an event series by Counterpoints Arts is an event series that trains refugees and migrants in London in the art of stand-up comedy, getting them stage ready, and creating opportunities to share their stories with UK audiences.

This month Darren Abrahams spoke with Selam Amare, the producer of No Direction Home and stand-up comedian. Selam told us all about her surprising journey to the stage, as well as how she is celebrating her Ethiopian heritage through art and culture events.

Follow @azmaribet for upcoming Ethiopian music, food, and culture in London.

Discover and celebrate Ethiopian culture through food, art, and poetry with products from Selam L’Ethio (selamleethiopia.com) and Market Fiftyfour (marketfiftyfour.com).

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

May 02

ReSounding Ep.22 – Unsilencing Artists with Ghawgha Taban & Jan Lothe Eriksen

By Podcast

When we hear the phrase “artistic censorship,” it’s easy to conjure up a stereotypical image of oppressive control, and to assume that it’s only happening in certain countries or regions. However, the truth is that censorship takes many different forms and is present in countries all over the world.

Fortunately, there are organizations like Safemuse that are working to address the global spread of censorship against artists and the arts. Based in Norway, Safemuse is dedicated to protecting artists who are being persecuted and providing them with a safe space to create and freely express themselves.

In this episode, Laura Hassler speaks to Jan Lothe Eriksen, project manager at Safemuse since its inception, as well as Ghawgha Taban, a Hazaran ‘Afran’ (Afghan-Iranian) singer who fled Afghanistan and is now creating music dedicated to championing women’s freedom in the country.

Ghawgha’s new EP ‘Landless Tree’ is a triptych of songs exploring the experience of migration and displacement. It available to listen and purchase now on Bandcamp.

This episodes features music by Ghawgha Taban and collaborating artists:

  • 26:20 – Away From Home by Ghawgha Taban

Inclusion of Away From Home is kindly licensed by Ghawgha Taban and LIDIO by Safemuse, a record label supporting the work of censored artists from around the globe.

Ghawga Taban – vocal,
Anja Lauvdal – keyboard,
Morten Qvenild – keyboard etc.,
Paal Nilssen-Love – percussion,
Producers: Anja Lauvdal, Morten Qvenild, Julian Skar
Technician: Morten Qvenild
Studio: Ugla lyd
Mixing/Mastering: Bård Ingebrigsen
Music: Trad
Lyrics: Trad / Asadullah Ahmadi

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Mar 30

ReSounding Ep.21 – Dissenting with Mai Khoi

By Podcast

Vietnamese singer Mai Khôi is a dissident. After gaining enormous fame as a pop “darling of the state” in her home country, Mai Khôi used her platform to speak out against the repressive laws in the one-party Vietnamese society. Speaking out against strict censorship laws for artists and performers, as well as the gendered restrictions against women, turned Mai Khôi from a celebrated patriotic artist, to an outspoken rebel.

Now Mai Khôi lives in exile from Vietnam in Pittsburgh, USA, where she continues to release new music with her band, The Dissidents. In this podcast she tells Laura Hassler all about her incredible life story from pop superstar, to artist in exile, to human rights advocate.

This episodes features music by Mai Khôi and collaborating artists:

  • 19:39: Antibodies – Mai Khôi and Hamed Sino
  • 27:28: Xin Ông (Please, Sir) – Mai Khôi Chem Gio
  • 35:15: Hay Lang Nghe – Tuan Khanh Feat. Mai Khôi
    This song is part of a soon-to-be released campaign advocating for the release of Vietnamese environmental activists who are in jail now. Find more information at the 88 Project: https://the88project.org/profile/566/nguy-thi-khanh-/

Inclusion of Xin Ông (Please, Sir) is kindly licensed by Mai Khoi and LIDIO by Safemuse, a record label supporting the work of censored artists from around the globe.

Mai Khoi: singer, guitar, goong
Quyen Thien Dac: saxophones
Nguyen Duc Minh: traditonal flute, percussion

Music and lyrics: Mai Khoi
Lyrics on Airdone: Benito del Sur
English lyrics and English vocals on Cuffed in freedom: Anna Högberg
Producer, mixing and mastering: Nguyễn Nhat Lý / Phù Sa Lab Studio, Hanoi

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Mar 06

ReSounding Ep.20 – The Challenges of Activism with Yigit Aksakoglu

By Podcast

Yigit Aksakoglu is a social change advocate whose career spans Human Rights advocacy, early childhood development, NGO policy, and even political prisoner. Having been unjustly imprisoned in his native Turkey for peaceful protest, Yigit now lives in Exile in the Netherlands, where he advocates for better treatment of refugees and undocumented migrants.

His organisation Mahalle Art & Kultur aims to create a network of support for refugees and migrants by creating routes into stable employment for undocumented artists and creatives.

Sign the petition, Call for Action to Dutch Government: Visa and family reunification for the Turkey earthquake survivors: chng.it/XY2zZ9mc

Open call for proposals in Partnership with Sound & Vision Archives: mahalle.art/events

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Jan 31

ReSounding Ep.19 – Laughing at Power with Mr Fish

By Podcast

We start 2023 off with a long anticipated guest, the political cartoonist and artist Dwayne Booth, better known as Mr Fish. Fish’s incendiary political artwork and relentless truth-seeking has been a recurring topic around the art27 office, and we couldn’t wait to get him on the podcast.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Musicians Without Borders’ Laura Hassler and Mr Fish dig deep, into the historical forces of artistic activism in the US, the truth-telling capacity of humor, and the crucial enrichment that art provides us in our lives. Mr Fish argues that the engagement with, and enjoyment of art is the vital force that allows us to fully engage with our lives, and challenges us to not relegate art to our “off-work time”.

Mr Fish’s latest book Nobody Left, is available now, as well as his upcoming projects that are available for preorder.

You can find out more about Mr Fish and see all his work at clowncrack.com, and support him directly through his Patreon. Finally, you can catch Mr Fish’s artwork in an ongoing collaboration at the Chris Hedges Report.

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Jan 24

Arts for Social Inclusion 2022: Artist Profiles

By Podcast
In 2022, we launched the first art27 open call Commissions of Collaborative Artworks. The Arts for Social Inclusion project awarded successful applicants funding for the creation of new collaborative artworks. The initiative supports the creation of new collaborative artworks by artists with lived experiences of migration, aiming to foreground new narratives on migration and forced displacement.
We are proud to feature these conversations with the successful artists. In these special episodes of ReSounding, we spoke to the artists about the formulation of their collaboration, the narrative and impetus behind their works, and the wider political impact that they perceive in their practice.

Letters to Ukrainians by Yoanna Ayers and Mariam Shurghaia

In this episode, art27 Coordinator Sofia Vieira speaks to Yoanna Ayers (Poland) and Mariam Shurghaia (Georgia/Ukraine). The artistic duo received funding for their latest project Letters to Ukrainians.

Following a fortuitously encounter at a protest against the war in Ukraine in Battonya, Hungary, the two artists started working together on a song to express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Their project, Letters to Ukrainians, was thus born. Letters to Ukrainians is an anthem, a message of hope expressing solidarity with all those suffering from the violent conflict enfolding in Ukraine.

Charkh Bezan Ba Eftekhar by Elena Yaqubee and Fabio Joel Tunno

In this episode, art27 Coordinator Sofia Vieira speaks to Elena Yaqubee (Afghanistan) and Fabio Joel Tunno (Italy) about their latest project Charkh Bezan Ba Eftekhar (Whirling Pridefully).

Resorting to music, poetry and theatre, Charkh Bezan Ba Eftekhar carries a message of strength and resistance against injustice and violence in the world. It aims to overcome indifference and bring awareness, amplifying the voices of those being forgotten by a society that has become too complacent. The project blossomed after Elena Yaqubee and Fabio Joel Tunno met in a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, in 2021.

Adam’s Book by Abubacar Adam Togo, Ana Guerrero, and Liliya Golovanova

In this episode, art27 Coordinator Sofia Vieira speaks to Abubacar Adam Togo (Sudan), Ana Guerrero (Colombia) and Liliya Golovanova (Russia), three artists based in Paris, France. 

Adam’s Book is an intimate artistic project that delves into the life and art of Abubacar Adam Togo. It explores not only Adam’s refugee story and the violence in his home country but also experiences and memories from everyday and mundane life – typically not attributed to the collective imagination of people experiencing forced displacement. In the making for the last 3 years, Adam’s Book is a collection of all the mediums Adam works in, featuring poetry, paintings, sketches, and photography. It opposes the common narrative around refugees and migrants, offering a singular and intimate image into Adam’s way of looking at the world.

Delirium by Anas Qadamani and Anan Alkadamani

In this episode, art27 Coordinator Sofia Vieira speaks to Anas Qadamani and Anan Alkadamani, two Syrian artists based in the Netherlands who received funding as part of the initiative art27 Commissions of Collaborative Artworks. 

Anas Qadamani is an audiovisual design artist, currently studying at Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam; Anan Alkadamani is a composer and musician, who recently graduated from Codarts, Rotterdam. The two Syrian artists met in the Netherlands, after escaping war in their home country. Delirium, the three-minute-long audiovisual artwork created by the artistic duo, explores and expresses the unprocessed thoughts, experiences and feelings that took place during the journey from Syria to the Netherlands. The duo describes the artwork as an experimental process between music and visuals, with one reacting to the other.

Nov 11

ReSounding Ep.18 – Putting Down Roots with Bemeriki Bisimwa Dusabe and Jennie Spears

By Podcast

This month art27 member Darren Abrahams takes the reigns hosting and speaks to two organizations that use gardening, plants, food, and permaculture to create sustainability and resilience for refugees living in camps in East Africa and Northern Iraq/Kurdistan.

Bemeriki Bisimwa Dusabe is the founder of the Rwamwanja Rural Foundation, working in Uganda to create farming and sustainable food solutions within refugee camps. He is an educator in the field, leading training for young refugees to develop permaculture gardens.

Jennie Spears represents The Lemon Tree Trust, an organization transforming refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan by focussing on garden making, cooking, and working with the lands as a practice of security, culture, and community.

Lemon Tree Trust: lemontreetrust.org/

Rwamwanja Rural Foundation: rwamwanjaruralfoundation.org/

This episode features an excerpt of ‘Permaculture Song’ by the Rwamwanja Rural Foundation: https://youtu.be/hLhP2TEFiZI

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

Sep 30

ReSounding Ep.17 – Striving for Regeneration with Darren Abrahams

By Podcast

The Human Hive is an international organisation shifting the paradigm of development work. The Human Hive are in the process of training a mass collective of educators, facilitators, front-line workers, and students who are equipped with a better way of working. A way of working with the environment, rather than through it.

In this episode co-founder Darren Abrahams draws on his expertise as a musician and a body trauma therapist to discuss how practitioners can create safe spaces, and work “with” and not “for” participants. Whilst the Human Hive is built on a foundation of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, Darren argues that these worthwhile standards do not go far enough, and instead organisations need to aim for “regeneration” rather than settling for “sustainability”.

Find the Human Hive:
thehumanhive.org/
the-human-hive.mn.co/

Listen to the Human Hive:
Spotify

ReSounding was produced and edited by Ed Holland.

The art27 theme music ‘Come Together’ was written and performed by Matteo Galesi and was produced for art27 in collaboration with SYNCR.

You can find Matteo at:
www.facebook.com/matteo.galesi
www.instagram.com/teogalesi/
twitter.com/TEOgalesi

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