TREE CIRCLES at VENICE BIENNALE, PREVIEW WEEK
April 2022
April 2022
Solidarity with Indigenous Organizations and Allies
A Call to Action for Nature Care, Tree Circle Performance, April 21, 2022 at Venice Biennale
Video provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
PERA+FLORA+FAUNA was commissioned by People of Remarkable Talents (PORT) in Malayasia, and hosted as an exhibition pavilion at the Archivi della Misericordia (23 April - 27 November 2022) as part of the 51st Visual Arts Venice Biennale. The exhibition focused on discourses around how Indigenous peoples and Nature are affected by mainstream industrialised nations- the same and very nations that are contributing to existing environmental problems and often the repression of Indigenous peoples.
PERA+FLORA+FAUNA visitors were asked to rethink how can aesthetic thinking support the conservation and restoration of Nature or Indigenous rights and ways of life? Can Indigenous populations across the globe challenge the mainstream documented (art) history written by the non-Indigenous? Can indigenous populations achieve the liberty to collectively claim “their own history and narratives”, antagonising the dominant discourse?
During the course of the exhibition, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA curators and artists sought also to extend the dialogue and offer other visual artists, Indigenous groups and/or supportive Indigenous allies a platform at Venice and/or in their own home territories to create a platform of recorded talks, performances and actions that could be associated with the Venice pavilion. The key focus of these satellites events was to create a dynamic and impactful discursive set of discussions around decolonization and processes that non-Indigenous communities can adopt in supporting Indigenous resilience and Nature.
As part of their program and in the spirit of openness and sharing - Trees for Life project was showcased at Venice during preview week with a call for Nature care through a performance action. The video (above) is a record of the 'Living tree circles performance' as acted out in Venice. The performance was symbolic; wherein public participants were invited to walk in a circle around a tree sapling in kinship and celebration of Indigenous knowledge and land care. This action acknowledged Indigenous Oromo communities in Ethiopia who have nurtured tree saplings to establish tree nurseries for future generations. This event happened on April 21 which is designated as United Nations' World Creativity and Innovation Day. This day raises awareness about the role of creativity and innovation can play in all aspects of human development.
Video provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
PERA+FLORA+FAUNA was commissioned by People of Remarkable Talents (PORT) in Malayasia, and hosted as an exhibition pavilion at the Archivi della Misericordia (23 April - 27 November 2022) as part of the 51st Visual Arts Venice Biennale. The exhibition focused on discourses around how Indigenous peoples and Nature are affected by mainstream industrialised nations- the same and very nations that are contributing to existing environmental problems and often the repression of Indigenous peoples.
PERA+FLORA+FAUNA visitors were asked to rethink how can aesthetic thinking support the conservation and restoration of Nature or Indigenous rights and ways of life? Can Indigenous populations across the globe challenge the mainstream documented (art) history written by the non-Indigenous? Can indigenous populations achieve the liberty to collectively claim “their own history and narratives”, antagonising the dominant discourse?
During the course of the exhibition, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA curators and artists sought also to extend the dialogue and offer other visual artists, Indigenous groups and/or supportive Indigenous allies a platform at Venice and/or in their own home territories to create a platform of recorded talks, performances and actions that could be associated with the Venice pavilion. The key focus of these satellites events was to create a dynamic and impactful discursive set of discussions around decolonization and processes that non-Indigenous communities can adopt in supporting Indigenous resilience and Nature.
As part of their program and in the spirit of openness and sharing - Trees for Life project was showcased at Venice during preview week with a call for Nature care through a performance action. The video (above) is a record of the 'Living tree circles performance' as acted out in Venice. The performance was symbolic; wherein public participants were invited to walk in a circle around a tree sapling in kinship and celebration of Indigenous knowledge and land care. This action acknowledged Indigenous Oromo communities in Ethiopia who have nurtured tree saplings to establish tree nurseries for future generations. This event happened on April 21 which is designated as United Nations' World Creativity and Innovation Day. This day raises awareness about the role of creativity and innovation can play in all aspects of human development.
PERA+FLORA+FAUNA group photograph of artists and curators after performances. Trees for Life sapling is included in the event photograph to represent solidarity with the Oromo peoples and the 'Trees for Life' project. (April 21, 2022)
Photograph provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
Photograph provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
Pavilion PERA+FLORA+FAUNA artists launching the exhibition and associated performance events (April 21 2022) during the Biennale Press Preview week
Photograph provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
Photograph provided courtesy of PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition https://portperakvenice.com
Screen shot of the Panel and Workshop event with Sylvia Grace Borda pictured followed by Amy Modahl, Khaled Ramadan, and Jemmal Wako.
PANEL: CO-CREATING A CULTURE OF STEWARDSHIP - OBSERVATION AND ACTS OF LANGUAGE & ART
Furthermore in the spirit of friendship and co-existence as collaborative production processes and the ethos of the PERA+FLORA+FAUNA, organisers invited 'Trees for Life' to organise its own satellite event. This occurred as a panel symposium and workshop hosted at the Communications Deparment at Okanagan College, Canada (November 17, 2022.) The speakers included Sylvia Grace Borda (Trees for Life), Khaled Ramadan (PERA+FLORA+FAUNA) and Jemmal Wako (Oromo Indigenous cultural Advisor) wherein the group offered perspectives and reflections on how the arts and community partnerships can support Indigenous partnerships. The event was moderated by Professor Amy Modahl at the College.
PANEL: CO-CREATING A CULTURE OF STEWARDSHIP - OBSERVATION AND ACTS OF LANGUAGE & ART
Furthermore in the spirit of friendship and co-existence as collaborative production processes and the ethos of the PERA+FLORA+FAUNA, organisers invited 'Trees for Life' to organise its own satellite event. This occurred as a panel symposium and workshop hosted at the Communications Deparment at Okanagan College, Canada (November 17, 2022.) The speakers included Sylvia Grace Borda (Trees for Life), Khaled Ramadan (PERA+FLORA+FAUNA) and Jemmal Wako (Oromo Indigenous cultural Advisor) wherein the group offered perspectives and reflections on how the arts and community partnerships can support Indigenous partnerships. The event was moderated by Professor Amy Modahl at the College.
RESOURCES
PORT, PERA+FLORA+FAUNA | The Story of Indigenousness and the Ownership of History, Venice Biennale Collateral Exhibition Official website
https://portperakvenice.com
Indigenous Peoples of Malayasia
https://www.iwgia.org/en/malaysia.html
Okanagan College, Vernon, BC, Canada - Communications department
https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/arts/communications/department-of-communications
https://portperakvenice.com
Indigenous Peoples of Malayasia
https://www.iwgia.org/en/malaysia.html
Okanagan College, Vernon, BC, Canada - Communications department
https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/arts/communications/department-of-communications
