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.
CFCP
New Voices
of Ireland
Series 8
Against The Odds 2:
Open Studios
Intro
The voices of migrants, the main agents of cultural diversity and collaboration, are rarely heard and in these challenging times there is a danger that they will be completely marginalised. Hence, the focus of this year’s New Voices Series – Against the Odds 2: Open Studios is on visibility and dialogue.
The aim of the New Voices of Ireland Series is to present migrant artists to the wider online community, to let them tell about their artistic practices, their new and previous works, their plans and about themselves, their lives in Ireland and their artistic and personal roots.
Through the series we want to provide a platform for both physical and conceptual communication between migrant and local artists, their communities and their artworks.
The New Voices of Ireland Series have been developed and run by the Centre for Creative Practices since 2013.
The New Voices of Ireland Series is curated by Monika Sapielak, an independent curator and Artistic Director of the Centre for Creative Practices.
The New Voices of Ireland Series is funded and kindly supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
The
Programme
11th February
to 1st April 2021
In response to the COVID19 restrictions, the 8th edition of the New Voices Series – Against the Odds 2: Open Studios will be run as an online series of events.
Despite the lockdown and the adverse conditions in 2020, we wanted to continue our work on the New Voice of Ireland Series and give migrant and culturally diverse artists who all severely suffered due to the lockdowns and loss of jobs and income, an opportunity to work artistically and collaborate while isolating. Moving the programme online was the way to go. Working online also allowed us to select more artists than usual.
Session
1
6.45pm - Vernissage
7.30pm - YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm - Q&A with the artists on zoom, live on Facebook
Leia Mocan
Umbilical Cord, video, 14 min; An eulogy of transformation marking the continuous migration of self, interleaved with witness testimonials, historical and found imagery.
Zahra Khan
Through prose and images, I am reflecting on my relationship with my mother and her country, my body parts, and the witch in Pakistani mythology.
Imogen-Blue Hinojosa
A trailer for my short film " Bed Of Leaves" in which I seek to draw attention to the ever rising death toll of trans women of colour worldwide.
Session
2
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Mirjana Rendulic
"A death of a Star" is a personal piece reflecting grief of losing a father. Written and performed by Mirjana Rendulic and filmed by Mark McNally.
Chinedum Muotto
Themes of patriarchy, religion, sacrifice, archetypes and memories are manifested in this piece weaving between childhood and adulthood to trace the effects of ‘fathering’ then and now.
Session
3
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Viviana Fiorentino
‘Neither here, nor there’- a dialogue between two poets interspersed with reading in Italian, Hungarian and English. Reflection on home and belonging.
Csilla Toldy
In my video poems, just as in poetry, I am interested in layers of meaning. A new entity comes about from the interconnected footage, sound and rhythm.
Session
4
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Nasrin Golden
A short animation inspired by Iordanis's composition “As the Leaves Fall” by which I was deeply moved. The music directed my imagination creating feelings of hope and happiness.
Iordanis Sidiropoulos
I composed a new piece of music based on one of Nasrin´s paintings called Shahmaran which is the name of an ancient Persian Goddess.
Session
5
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Diviane Helena
Six videos, inspired by virtual meetings between two female artists and their exchange and studies about ancestry, femininity and traditional sacred rituals from Ireland and Brazil.
Barbara O'Meara
Mobile phone videos & art installations. Filmed in synchronicity with Diviane in our different places of residence to communicate a sense of interconnectedness despite Covid-19.
Session
6
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Irina Maldea
An 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”.
Session
7
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Samantha Brown
Listening to Gboyega’s music inspired me to walk to the local river leading me to thoughts of the many people that had travelled by sea as migrants, travellers or explorers.
Gboyega Akerele
I titled this soundtrack ASHE (AMEN) - good wishes for our journey in life. The world needs a lot of courage in this extraordinary times and I hope my tune will inject some sunshine.
Session
8
7.00pm – Introduction on Zoom
7.30pm – YouTube Premier live streaming
8.00pm – Q&A with the artists on zoom
Tag Beckett
"WHY I MAKE" is a celebration of the power of art.
art can guide revolutions
art can be used as medication (…)
we are from different countries with different beliefs and cultures, but we can communicate through art
Roxana Manouchehri
The visual conversation between the two artists from different backgrounds makes this conversation unique and challenging. The viewer get involved with images, texts and music in a fun and artistic way.
Press
& Media
Feedback
Coverage
Engagement
Irish Times
“The western world has to realise that there is much more to contemporary art than the Europocentric and America-centric approach, and that the rest of the world also ‘produces’ mature artistic voices and styles that are unique and actual.” Monika Sapielak, CEO of CFCP in the Irish Times on 10 February 2021
Arts Council of Ireland
The CFCP New Voices of Ireland Series 8 was offically opened by Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council of Ireland. Maureen said about CFCP that:
"You (CFCP) are shortening the journey for Migrant artists to gain visibility in Ireland"
Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council of Ireland
Wicklow People & Bray People
“We wanted to provide migrants and culturally diverse artists in Ireland with an opportunity to collaborate and exhibit.” Monika Sapielak, CEO of CFCP in the Wicklow People on 17 February 2021
BAM Magazine
“In my video poems, just as in poetry, I am interested in layers of meaning. A new entity comes about from the interconnected footage, sound and rhythm.” Csillly Toldy in BAM Magazine
Westmeath Examiner
“The event is a major celebration of the diversity within the artistic community of Ireland.” Nasrin Golden, multimedia artist in the Westmeath Examiner on 24/02/2021
Radio Latina / Near FM
Radio Latinas and Near FM for taking the time to talk to two artists from the New Voices Series, Diviane Helena & Barbara O'Meara, on Radio Latina / Near FM 10/03/2021
CFCP
On Air
Podcasts
Feedback
Coverage
Engagement
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
