Gardens Speak
Tania El Khoury (Lebanon / UK)
“Extraordinary, and emotionally wrenching.”
—The New York Times
In today’s Syria, oppression and violence are so far-reaching that even burial and mourning have become subversive acts. In this immersive sound installation, artist Tania El Khoury pays tribute to that subversion, and to 10 people whose lives have been lost in the regime’s brutal response to dissent. These 10 lie buried in family gardens, as do many others who have been killed in the ongoing conflict: public burial ceremonies expose family members to potential slaughter, and official interment also carries the risk of humiliation, with the bereaved often asked to sign documents absolving the Assad government of responsibility.
“This piece will change the way you think.”
—WhatsOnStage
In groups of 10, audience members are led to a garden space marked by graves. At each grave, one person will hear a story—the reconstructed history of an individual killed in the conflict. These narratives lie waiting to be unearthed; exhuming them is an act of discovery, of communion, of rebellion and defiance through art.
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Artist Bio
Tania El Khoury (Lebanon / UK)
Tania El Khoury builds her installation and performance work around audience participation—its uses, its dangers and its political power. Her works have been presented in over 30 countries; she is a 2019 Soros Art Fellow and the winner of the 2017 ANTI Festival International Prize for live art.
Venue
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Showtimes
January 28 – February 1
February 2
45 mins, no intermission
Jan 28 – Feb 1
12:30PM, 2PM, 6PM, 7PM, 8:30PM, 9:30PM (except on Jan 30)
Feb 2
12:30PM, 2PM, 5:30PM, 6:30PM, 8PM, 9PM
Tickets
Single tickets $25
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Access
Low Vision Friendly Introduction available, to be read by a volunteer just before entering the space
Content Note: Includes use of scents.
Credits
CREATOR Tania El Khoury PRODUCTION MANAGER Jessica Harrington PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Naya Salame RESEARCH ASSISTANT, WRITER (ARABIC) Keenana Issa CALLIGRAPHY, TOMBSTONES DESIGN Dia Batal SET DESIGN Abir Saksouk SOUND RECORDING AND EDITING Khairy Eibesh (Stronghold Sound)
CO-COMMISSIONED BY Fierce Festival, Next Wave Festival, Live at LICA DEVELOPED THROUGH the Artsadmin Artists’ Bursary Scheme SUPPORTED BY Arts Council of England