Things and Thinking: A Workshop with Rosanna Raymond

The Indigeneity in the Contemporary World Project (Royal Holloway, University of London) and Border Crossings Laboratory present an exciting creative workshop as a precursor to the 2013 Ecocentrix: Indigenous Arts, Sustainable Acts exhibition and the Origins Festival of First Nations.

Led by renowned Polynesian multimedia and performance artist Rosanna Raymond, the workshop will use the Samoan concept of Va to stimulate creative and artistic ideas around indigeneity, migration and intercultural encounter.  An approach to space and time, Va, as Raymond explains, ‘is activated by people, binding people and objects together, forming relationships and reciprocal obligations.’ It places things in the contexts of their relationships with people – it allows them to think.

Participants will be asked to bring an object with a story to share in response to the themes of indigeneity, migration and intercultural encounter. Together they will explore possibilities for giving voice to these objects, and for transferring these voices into performances. The workshop provides a unique chance to help generate artistic ideas and motifs that will influence the exhibition and festival next year.

Participation is free but places are limited. To register, please contact Dani.Phillipson@rhul.ac.uk with a statement about yourself and why you are interested in taking part. Registered participants will be provided with directions to the venue at Trafalgar Square and asked to bring food to share at lunch.