As we cap off 2023, we brought back two collaborators and friends of art27 to participate in a special 2-part episode of ReSounding, in acknowledgement of International Day of Human Rights.

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.

Godfrey Lado is a musician and poet living in Amsterdam. Having migrated from South Sudan, and lived through the complicated Dutch asylum seeking process, he now works with the organization ASKV, working towards a more just and fair system and treatment for undocumented people in the Netherlands.

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

In Place of War is a global network. It includes artists, theatre-makers, dancers, DJs, and musicians. It supports artistic projects around the world in numerous contexts, providing alternatives to conflict, helping heal the trauma of war, and building arts equity where it’s needed most.

In this episode, Laura Hassler talks to Ruth Daniel, the CEO of In Place of War. Connecting over their shared passion for activism, arts and climate justice, and a lifelong belief in the power of music, the two discuss how artists can work to create new narratives around conflict, environmental disaster, and wellbeing.

This episode features music from Kate Simko: Colombia Biodiversity from the Cucusonic collaborative album. Used with kind permission from In Place of War.

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

This month we are joined by prolific human rights advocate and self proclaimed Artivist, Omaid Sharifi. Omaid grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, and has considered himself an activist from the age of 12. Under the injustices of both the US intervention of his country and both Taliban regimes, Omaid has been using art to speak truth to power and point out cruelty and corruption. In 2014, Omaid co-founded ArtLords, a guerilla operation of artists painting murals on the blast walls of Kabul. By involving local people with the painting of these murals, the organization inspired hope and spoke out against corrupt power mongers.

Omaid has since fled Afghanistan and is living in North America, but his work has only grown, as ArtLords has become an international initiative fighting for justice and safety for Afghan, refugee, and other endangered artists.

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

Luciana Abait is a multimedia artist whose artworks can be seen in all manner of place: in galleries, at airports, in shop windows, and projected onto enormous walls. Born in Argentina, living in the USA, movement, migration, displacement, and nationhood are all core themes of Luciana’s works. So too is the topic of climate, and the connections between climate crisis and forced migration.

In this episode, Laura Hassler talks to Luciana Abait, taking a deep-dive into her mixed-media works such as the Iceberg and Displacement series’. They talk migration, maps, and climate protest.

See all of Luciana’s works and upcoming projects: lucianaabait.com

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

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

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

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

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

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