Session
6
CFCP
NEW VOICES
OF IRELAND
SERIES 8
Against The Odds 2:
Open Studios
Irina Maldea
My new interpretation of the iconic and hallowed Irish landscapes that includes/imposes the immigrant stories and their inner journey.
Nkosikhona Ngcobo
Migration leads to the new identity, “becoming”. “I AM” is the title of my video where “I” becomes “Identity”, “A’ becomes “Art” and “M” becomes “Migration”.
Intro
Irina – The migrant journey is one that is complex and never quite completed. As shown in many films – both fiction and documentary – that journey is both physical and psychological. And while, at some point, the journey from home to the chosen destination reaches its end, the process of assimilation into a new culture is much slower and at times more trying. Questions of identity, roots, memory, dreams and freedom are often times complicated and difficult to navigate.
I am presenting a new interpretation of the landscape that includes/imposes the immigrant stories. The migrant journey is both physical and psychological. I explore the inner journey of immigrants in Ireland in a unique way, by connecting them to iconic and hallowed Irish landscapes. I am interested in the internal emotions relating to physical connection to place and longing for that place, the desire to belong, uniting all humanity.
Drawing from my experience as a migrant, moving from Romania to Ireland 27 years ago, I explore my story and the stories of those like me. It was through my interaction with the Irish landscape and stories of famine and emigration that I gained a sense of belonging when my story and their stories become one. We, the immigrants, can tell our stories, desires, hopes and fears and imagine the landscape through new eyes, learning about the Irish past of war, famine and emigration
Nkosi – At times “Becoming” lead to new a path of New Identity which is always get communicate through Art forms and this always happen to those who Migrate from his or her country. This gave birth to the title my art video title “I AM” which “I” become “Identity”, “A’ become “Art” and “M” become “Migration”. As a results Politics, Power, Greed, War, Pain and hurt create Migration.
Some of this pains started when the Europeans countries and America beings to conniving with United Nations to do immoral, illegal, injustice, lot of harmful and creating ethical groupings, political, and tribalism’s wars in different countries such as Romain, Nigeria, Somilia, Sudan, South Sudan, DRC, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Libra, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa due to their dirty interest of looting these countries all mineral resources. The looting and stealing of minerals resource that led to the death of so many innocent people in the Africa including many leaders who were standing up for inequality and injustice. The late Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi, commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti and other leaders that are not mention became the victims of oil war business which the international bankers, business, defense of Europe, Middle East, American, and Asia funded war and sell weapon to both side the rebel and the state of that country which they have interest and the war became blood business. Through this the blood war still continue in Africa, Siria, Iran, Palestinian, and Afghanistan. Today bullet is ruling humankind of the world. These problems lead to so many so many people migrate to European such country like Ireland, Germany and other country.
It is this reasons why me and Irina collaborate to come up with the main title called “Becoming”.
The Work
The Podcast
The Artists
Irina Maldea
Irina Maldea is film director, editor. Her works spans a variety of roles and genres. Irina worked as a film editor in the Romanian national film studios. In Ireland, she continued to edit drama and documentary and began directing documentaries for broadcast and cinematic distribution, working with the Irish language TV station TG4, the Irish Film Board, RTE, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and the Arts Council. For my cinematic documentary “Congo and Irish Affair”, which I directed. I was awarded the Access Cinema Award for most popular Irish film. Her series “Congo 1961” won the Irish Film and Television Academy Award for best documentary.
Since 2018 Irina has been developing a series of experimental documentaries dealing with the individual experience when impacted by larger often catastrophic events. She is particularly interested in the subjects of emigration, propaganda and political.
She has a Masters Degree in Screenwriting and is currently researching the junction between social philosophy and storytelling, focusing on the works of classical Greek philosophers and how they have been interpreted.
Nkosikhona Ngcobo
I am Nkosikhona Ngcobo, a South African born designer, artist, photographer, writer, poetry, and social activist. I hail from rural village/emakhaya called Easterborn Farm (popular known as 42) in Newcastle. Growing up in my hometown of Newcastle where culture is abundant and the sense of community is strong, I developed and keen interest and was ultimately taken by social issues. These in turn have inspired my creative and artistic works.
In 2017 Nkosikhona achieved my Master’s degree in Visual Communication from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and graduated for his second Master’s degree in Visual Arts with the University in South Africa (UNISA – Pretoria Main Campus). Currently Nkosikhona is studying my PHD in Art Practice-led, pass my Research Proposal (RPM) and busy writing my Dissertation under the supervision of Prof Mpako. The title of my Dissertation is “Interpretation of social commentary through the dress codes used in artistic expression”.
Nkosikhona is also a published writer. In his biography titled: Son of the Soil he highlights and address some of the pressing issues that his peers face, while they try to carve a career in the uncertain cultural and creative industries. His second book, published in 2011, is titled: Unaccomplished: The journey of a social activist.
In 2008 he represented the country at the 8th International Biennial of African Contemporary Art (Dak’Art 2008) held in Dakar, Senegal from 9 May to 9 June 2008, which featured 36 talented artists from different parts of Africa and Diaspora. Nkosikhona received awards for my video works. I won two other arts awards. In 2019 Nkosikhona was selected as one of the international artists to participate in an international Anthology book project where three of his poems were featured in anthology book. Nkosikhona was mentored by Ireland Poetry writer Elaine Feeney.
Open Call
Call for submissions for visual arts and multidisciplinary projects by or involving migrant and culturally diverse artists for the Centre for Creative Practices’ 2025 programme
Deadline – 25/02/2024
Intro
The Centre for Creative Practices invites submissions from PROFESSIONAL migrant and culturally diverse artists and local artists working with culturally diverse artists for our 2025 visual arts and multidisciplinary programme. We especially welcome participatory, collaborative, multidisciplinary and experimental proposals by individual artists and collectives. All projects have to include an artist’s talk and a participatory workshop for audiences.
We are inviting project proposals for two strands of our programme:
- New Voices of Ireland Series
- Third Space
The
Programme
THE NEW VOICES OF IRELAND SERIES aims to offer broad audiences a unique chance to engage with high-quality work by selected migrant and culturally diverse artists of various disciplines.
THIRD SPACE – collaborative projects between migrant and culturally diverse artists
Artists’ fees, production and marketing costs will be covered, and curatorial and production support will be offered by CFCP for the selected project. Up to 10 projects will be selected.
How to
apply
Interested artists should submit ONE SINGLE PDF document containing the following information:
- Project/Exhibition proposal – 500 words max
- CV/History of artistic practice – max 1 A4 page
- 6 images of recent work – with titles and medium, where appropriate with dimensions
- Artistic workshop proposal
- Project budget
- Proposed timeline venue
Please submit your proposals via email to monika@cfcp.ie In the subject line please state: Programme proposal 2025, CFCP
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch via email monika@cfcp.ie or just give us a call at 086-6084020.
The submission deadline is Sunday – 25/02/2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
CFCP
CFCP is committed to professionally supporting, effectively showcasing and developing the talent of migrant artists, offering tailored artistic and capacity-building programmes, mentoring, and resources, and helping artists to access the local arts scene and build sustainable careers.
Migrant-centred and migrant-led, CFCP is acknowledged as a pioneer and catalyst for promoting cultural diversity, intercultural collaboration and exchange.
Join In
BACKGROUND TO THE NEW VOICES OF IRELAND SERIES
The New Voices of Ireland Series is a flagship project of integrative, cultural practice between migrant and local artists as well as audiences curated and presented by the Centre for Creative Practices.
The New Voices of Ireland Series aims to:
- Connect creative talent from new communities and various social groups from all over Ireland
- Give migrant and culturally diverse artists an opportunity to share their work and talent with a wide local and international audience
- Engage artists to express their views on social challenges and the role of culture in modern society through artistic practice
The New Voices of Ireland Series is kindly supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
Queries: If you have any questions, please contact monika@cfcp.ie or call 086-6084020
