Art & Reconciliation

On Wednesday 21 November, The Exchange held its first immersive dance performance, as part of the Reconciliations Exhibition.

The piece, choreographed by Roman Baca, former US Marine and current Fullbright Scholar at Trinity Laban, explored how training for war impacts the mind, body and psyche of an individual.

The space was transformed into a partially lit zone of exploration with the dancers weaving through the audience, and the artwork.  Members of the audience were invited to participate, donning arm bands, flash lights and responding to written instructions giving them a personal experience of the power of ritual, sacrifice, and military training.

Roman’s work demonstrates his own process of reconciliation as a trained dancer, then US Marine, and now as a choreographer working with material that explores the possibility of reconciliation for veterans, as they transition back into civilian life.

“I found this dance performance profoundly moving. Being a part of the movement helped me to experience the message of the dance on every level, intellectually, sensually and emotionally. This was a first for me. I found the content thought provoking and beautiful and it has stayed with me for the last few days. King’s challenges perceptions and takes risks and that is always exciting and rewarding.” Amanda Faber, Producer.

“the need for more integration of our research with art … is something we desperately need to do more of, because it not only allows to reach a population we don’t normally reach from the ivory tower, but also the communicative means to allow for true exchange with those from other backgrounds, transcending the boundaries of our identities.” Stefan Schilling, PhD Candidate, School of Security Studies

After the performance a panel with Roman, Stefan Schilling (School of Security Studies) and Melissa Abecassis (former co-director EcoME Centre for Peace and Sustainability in the West bank) discussed how dance can add to research, study and dialogues around reconciliation.

This event is one example of how SSPP’s Exchange space seeks to pioneer creative activities based on academic research within the Faculty.

The event is part of our current exhibition, Reconciliations, running in parallel at the Exchange, Bush House, King’s College London from 1 November-16 December 2018, and at the Knapp Gallery, Regent’s University London, from 1 November 2018-19 January 2019.

There will be another, different, dance performance by Touchdown Dance Co. as part of the Art and Reconcliation Symposium on Friday 30 November.  Details here.

By Jayne Peake

Continue reading “Reconciling Experience – Dance”

We’re delighted to announce that Artist in Residence, Dr Milena Michalski’s work, Harmonics & Functions, was selected for the 2018 ING Discerning Eye exhibition, which opened at the Mall Gallery on 15 November 2018 and runs until 25 November 2018.

http://www.discerningeye.org/exhibition/intro.php

On Thursday 22 November, Artist-in-Residence, Dr Milena Michalski, joined a panel at the English National Opera for a pre-performance discussion of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem.  In War Requiem, Benjamin Britten juxtaposes – or reconciles –  the anti-war poetry of Wilfred Owen and the timeless ritual of the Latin Requiem Mass.

The discussion was hosted by journalist Alexandra Coghlan, with ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins, Dr Milena Michalski, and ENO Staff Director Elaine Tyler-Hall.

Pre-performance talks 2018/19

Introduction to Britten’s War Requiem

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate the opening of our exhibition, Reconcilations, at The Exchange, Bush House, King’s College London on 1 November 2018, and at the Knapp Gallery, Regent’s University London on 2 November 2018.

We had two wonderful evenings celebrating and discussing the work of all of the wonderful artists whose work is included in the exhibition, including Vladimir Miladinovic who managed to navigate the dreaded visa regime and come from Belgrade to help us install his beautiful series of ink drawings, Memoria Bosniaca, and Dejan Kaludjerovic, who designed a special display about his work, Marbles, for us to exhibit in London.  We look forward to being able to exhibit the whole installation in Sarajevo in Reconciliations II later this year. We also saw Mladen Miljanovic’s rocket launcher in operation watering the gardens in Regent’s Quad!

Artists whose work is exhibited at the Knapp Gallery also joined us last night for a fascinating and insightful discussion about reconciliation and the artistic process.  We heard from Lola Frost, Pam Skelton, Naresh Kaushai and Gunther Herbst and Emma Elliott about how they navigate contradictions and contestations in their work, and how the reconciliation of paradoxical and seemingly mutually exclusive positions could be managed but not, crucially, necessarily resolved.

We look forward to hosting some of the other featured artists from Bosnia and Hercegovina – Lana Cmajcanin and Adela Jusic (Bedtime Stories), Ziyah Gafic (The Rope), Mladen Miljanovic (MWRL) and Melos Gashi (The Tapes) later this month, and to hearing them discuss their work at the Symposium, together with partners from the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Stacion – Institute for Contemporary Arts in Prishtina and the Post-Conflict Research Center, Sarajevo, who were instrumental in the commissioning of the work.

Touchdown create in the moment within a structured score, including concepts of proximity and space, architecture (Angus Balbernie) the poetics of movement (Steve Batts), and kinaesthetic awareness (Julyen Hamilton). This 30 minute performance will be followed by a Q&A with the dancers.
30 Nov 2018, 19:00 to 21:00pm, The Exchange, Kings College Strand Campus, London.  For further info and to register.

In this event the photographer Ziyah Gafić and artist, Mladen Miljanović will discuss their work and its relation to the post war legacy of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
Wednesday 28 November, 14.00-16.00pm, London College of Communication
, Elephant & Castle, London.  For further info and to register.

Choreography by Roman Baca, Fulbright Scholar, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and former US Marine.
This choreography aims to explore how the experience of serving in the military becomes embodied and carried over into everyday life.
21 November 2018, 19:00 to 21.00 at The Exchange, Kings College Strand Campus.  For further into and to register.

Two aging athletes and friends who fought on opposing sides in Bosnian civil war meet after quarter of century for one last climb.
21 November 2018, 13:00 to 14:30 at The Exchange, Kings College Strand Campus.  For further info and to register.

Panel discussion with artist, Dr Nela Milic (University of the Arts London) and political scientists, Dr Denisa Kostovicova, Dr Ivor Sokolic and Tom Paskhalis of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Thursday 15 November 2018, 6.30-8.pm, The Exchange, Kings College Strand Campus.  For further info and to register.

Panel discussion with artist, Dr Nela Milic (University of the Arts London) and political scientists, Dr Denisa Kostovicova, Dr Ivor Sokolic and Tom Paskhalis of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Thursday 15 November 2018, 6.30-8.pm, The Exchange, Kings College Strand Campus.  For further info and to register.