In order to explore and visualize different perspectives on exile, a group of people who had to leave their homes and are currently living in Vienna, engaged in a collaborative creation and reflection process. The process started with the topic introduction and learning different tools related to the language of photography in the context of different workshops. After practicing different techniques, the group started creating their own photos to show different perspectives of exile. The participants spread out in the city, explored places, people and situations they encountered with the themes of love, loss and longing, as well as their own experiences of flight and exile and captured them with the camera. The photos serve afterwards as impulses to speak about different experiences using participatory methods like “Photovoice”. They talked about their individual approaches, their artistic exploration and their own stories behind the photos.
The entire project will be shown with the touring exhibition “Stages of a Flight” which opens on November 8th at 7pm at Brunnenpassage. The audience is invited to reflect on their own relationship to the topic, rather than merely observe the art works. Topics of refuge, war and the pursuit of freedom concern everybody and require an active engagement. This work shares insights into the photographers’ living realities and opens a platform for conversation, aiming to deconstruct stereotypes and change individual and collective perceptions.
On the 13th of July 18, kids from the refugee home ‘House Liebhartstal’ joined the ‘In my dreams I feel free’ rehearsal to play, improvise, share stories and lunch together with the performers.
Jaskaran, a young dancer from the group shared his thoughts and impressions with us:
“The children have amazing amount of energy. They are innocent and incredible in their own way (…) There happened to be a conversation of how long they have been in Vienna (…) one of the girls mentioned that they might have a passport soon and the other girl in the group reacted so surprised and sad at the same time, seeming that they have been told this is the major thing in their world at the moment and it decided their future. It was moment of concern for me that the politics has such an influence on human that they compare their freedom with the status of their passport. I can understand them as well, due to the fact that I hold an Indian passport in the European Union(…)
There is a lot of trust and friendship amongst the children, they don’t see others as different country people rather a community of children in the same situation (…) What is the aim for them? A girl answered PEACE. And what is peace for her? It is when she, her family and friends and every human can have their own right. It touched me as they understand the freedom or being accepted the way they are is a basic necessity for being in peace.”
(c) ffilmtec
The rehearsals of the performance ‘In my dreams I feel free’ started! We have a great, multicultural team of grown-up dancers and kids working with Corinne Eckenstein and Sanja Tropp Frühwald on the topics: dreams and the search for a shelter.
With lot’s of dancing, improvisation and sharing experiences the performance is slowly developing. The official premiere of ‘In my dreams I feel free’ will take place in the Brunnenpassage on the 15th of December 2018!
(c) ffilmetc
After three intensive blocks of nine workshop days, diving into various photophraphy techniques including experimental studio work, long time exposure, street photography and performance, the group met on the fourth weekend to refect and evaluate the photographs that were created. The results are a manifold of perspectives onto the city and the protagonist´s individual commentary on the past, present and future. The focus of this workshop session laid on storytelling and WHY and HOW the work shall be shared with the public.
The photographs and narratives created will be shared in the framework of the exhibition Stages of a Flight in Brunnenpassage in November and December 2018.
Street theatre workshop with Monica Hunken – Living Theatre NY
In the third block of the photography workshops the group was joined by the performer and activist Monica Hunken from the Living Theatre Company, NYC.
In this workshop, the participants explored some basic street theater techniques for drawing focus, moving as an ensemble, creating striking images, playing with creative impulse and imaginative associations and how to communicate meaningful narrative through their bodies, working with the three basic emotions LOVE, LOSS & LONGING.
After first steps inside, the protagonists took these news skills to the street and devised mini pieces at nearby locations.
The photography served as a tool for documentation and Narration, capturing the feelings expressed through body language and interaction.
(c) Fesih Alpagu ffilmtech.com
