Metamorphosis: Connection, Resilience and Inspiration – An open Call for Artists

24th March – 29th October

A series of in-person encounters looking at ways of overcoming the challenges of our times. We are creating spaces and offering tools for participants to ignite and harness a sense of inspiration, connection and resilience through practice. These encounters will involve a combo of artist labs, public classes and performance sharing hubs where artists, thinkers and makers will have the opportunity to engage the public with new ideas, practices and art.

These encounters are about: 

• Rekindling ourselves collectively
• Critical inquiry about what moves us
• Finding together a sense of belonging
• Philosophical reflections on what provides us with a sense of trust, connection and flow

Intercultural Roots is resourcing these encounters and your potential participation through funding it has received from the National Lottery Community Fund as part of ‘Roots to Better Health’.

If you are an creative or performing artist or (eco)somatic practitioner interested in expanding your artistic investigations, exploring new artistic languages and gifting supportive, non-judgemental feedback with peers please apply to join the Metamorphosis Creative Labs via our Google Form.

Six Thematic Encounters and Creative Labs

The six themes are reflective critical subjects of our times to be approached through different artistic and philosophic lenses. We are interested in how a diversity of approaches can converse and create connections towards circumstances that are important to our social realities in the current times.

The creative Labs will take place in Southwark and Hackney, London on the last weekend of the month from March till October (skipping June and August). We are inviting artists, practitioners and scholars from diverse fields ad backgrounds to share their experiences around the following central themes:

1. Strangeness

Looking at “Strangeness” as a theme allows us to put in perspective positive and negative aspects of what it is to be a stranger in our lives. Interesting inspirations or research questions might contemplate how to overcome the barrier of strange-ness, the effect of strangeness, and how it may allow a complex perception of reality – therefore inviting an active political participation and transformation of social contexts.

“Talking with Strangers” – “What is it to be a stranger”. How do we deal with strangeness in our daily life?

The positive political sense of Brecht’s estrangement effect/ VerfremdungseffektV-Effekt

2. Landing

An unveiling of the land without borders. Realising a sense of connection to earth as a living soil. Renouncing from a sense of identity related to the ownership of territory and pointing towards recognising that we are earth.

3. Rewilding

Connecting with the wild within as opposed to seeing ourselves as separate to nature. Rebelling against the codifying restraints of domestication and institutionalisation. Exercising a sense of recognition and connection with our innate self, instincts and animal spirit – our ancient self within.

4. Aqua Carriers

Water Bearers for perspectives of flow in our life. What are the waters that can feed our dreams? Hope igniting dreams. Water as an inspirational element – artists working, moving or performing with or as water. Who and what are the images or agents that represents the new aqua carriers at this moment?

In this theme we’re interested in overcoming Bauman’s notion of ‘Liquid society’ while highlighting a sense of collective, horizontal connectivity that the element of water may bring to us.

5.Difference

Difference embraces diversity, and appreciates the positive aspects of learning with and living together with our particularities. Difference gives light to the significance of dialogue rather than rejection, seeing difference as a catalyst for attraction and curiosity.

A multiplicity of possibilities, an exuberance of polifonic interactions and relations.

6. Metamorphoses

The alchemic rainbow. Transitioning towards ways of being that sustain life, are fulfilling, just and equitable. Being resilient and courageous to become our beliefs and dreams, unafraid to continually question, challenge and emerge renewed. Creator rather than consumer.

Engagement as a Creative or Performing Artist

We are welcoming application for our series of interrelated Creative Labs and Performance Sharing. While there is no charge for attendance there is an expectation of commitment to attend all 12 meetings and support the organisation and production of income from the public performance Sharing events with participating artists.