On Saturday, October 25th at 1pm, we invite our Salt Spring Island community to gather and experience an audio-visual feast for the senses by four outstanding artists. The performance will feature visiting artists in residence, Mind of a Snail (Chloé Ziner & Jessica Gabriel), SJ Kirsch, and Viviane Houle. This work is curated by Terri Hron.
The Open Studio is more than a house concert. The series is a [re]generative slow touring opportunity for visiting and local artists to collaborate and share their works hosted by the Cranberry Valley Artist Retreat - a gathering place for performing artists requiring time and space to rest, research, and share ideas while spending time on Salt Spring Island. It provides an opportunity for respectful listening and curious dialogue between artists and audience members, allowing for greater understanding of context and place and the sharing of knowledge, creativity, art, culture, music and stories. The intimacy of celebrating the artists and their work in our home builds trust and breaks down barriers, strengthening community resilience and connection while supporting touring musicians and local artists alike. Light refreshments will be offered. Admission is by donation and nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. Access to the Open Studio is on foot up a moderately steep short gravel driveway. A shuttle will be available to support people with mobility challenges.
An immersive, collaborative audiovisual performance, A Voynich Manifesto takes inspiration from a mysterious medieval manuscript, written in an unknown language that describes and visualizes plants and star charts unknown to us on Earth. Exploring themes of indecipherability and hidden meanings in sound, shadow theatre duo Mind of a Snail (Chloé Ziner & Jessica Gabriel), and vocalists SJ Kirsch and Viviane Houle create this reenchanted world in collaboration with Terri Hron.
Notes from the curator, Terri Hron: We will be working on the immersive, collaborative audiovisual performance, A Voynich Manifesto, that takes inspiration from a mysterious medieval manuscript, written in an unknown language, describing and visualising plants and star charts unknown to us on Earth. Likely appearing in Europe during the destruction of commons and the establishment of private property, perhaps the manuscript was no longer intelligible within the capitalist order. For the artists of the Manifesto, it acts as a touchstone towards imagining another present and future with forms of communication and relationships long obscured or hardly recognizable.
Creating this reenchanted world are four artists whose practice and curiosity seek out as-yet unknown connections. Mind of a Snail (Chloé Ziner & Jessica Gabriel) intricately stitch sounds and handmade projections together to create multilayered stories at the intersection of puppetry, visual arts, clowning & music. Singer and sonic artist SJ Kirsch brings to life socio-politically relevant art song experiences and weaves resonant electroacoustic tapestries. Improvising composer and singer Viviane Houle translates landscapes and life into sound and scores using asemic writing and lyrical tracings.
The sharing will feature some of our first interactions and ideas for this project.
Please feel free to contact
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The Cranberry Valley Artist Retreat is grateful to receive support for the Open Studio Series from the Salt Spring Arts Council and Salt Spring Foundation.
Also check out other Arts events in Salt Spring Island, Music events in Salt Spring Island, Entertainment events in Salt Spring Island.
