Newyddion Arbrofion/Experiments News

Arbrawf newydd

We are delighted to welcome Gaia Redgrave’s Cathedral of the Trees as our latest seed-funded experiment.

Gaia will be exploring and considering the following questions using our widest imaginations:

• What could peace be?

• Where does peace reside?

• What could other names for peace be?

• How can peace be made tangible?

The experiment includes two events (virtual & in real life) in May, and a series of micro residencies.

All outcomes will be documented and shared on the Utopias Bach website & cathedral of the trees Instagram page.

Cathedral of the trees is open to all, all kinds of voices (human and non-human), all kinds of people, all kinds of experiences, all kinds of dreams, all are equally welcomed. Click here to take part/find out more

Explorations

Mynd i’r tudalen Merched y Tir i weld be’ sy ymlaen efo arbrawf cyffrous ‘ma. Merched y Tir has sprouted from its seed phase, and has just received ‘radicle germination funding’ for a series of migrations to different lands.

See our explorations here

Cymuned/Collaboratory

Our Collaboratory is where we come together to chat, question, learn and explore in community.

In January, Wanda Zyborska led us through an exploration of “Utopias Bach and Socially Engaged Art (where is the art and is it any good, and does it matter)?”. Find out more here (the link will take you to the Collaboratory page - scroll down until you see the section on Socially Engaged art - there’s recordings of the zoom discussions together with Wanda Zyborska’s presentation and Powerpoint).

Be’ sy nesa?

Each month we have a zoom and a ‘real life’ event: All events are free and all are welcome, but some require booking because numbers are limited

• 23.3.22: “Made” (on zoom) with our ‘Participant Obsever’ Frances Williams,

• 26.3.22: “Femtopoems” Mini Concrete Poetry Workshop with Rhys Trimble (Bangor). Booking required

• 20.4.22: “Utopias Bach Movement” (on zoom) with Samina Ali. More details soon.

• 23.4.22: “Movement workshop” (in real life) with Samina Ali. More details soon

• 11.5.22: Exploring the Blueprint of Peace through Ma - “Cathedral of Trees” with Gaia Redgrave. Booking required

• 14.5.22 The Blueprint of Peace through peaceful play/outdoor event - “Cathedral of Trees” with Gaia Redgrave. Booking required

To see details/to book see our events page here

Sylwi/Noticing

“As ‘progress’ tales lose traction, new tools for noticing seem so important:
it becomes possible to look differently, to notice the divergent,
layered and conjoined projects that make up worlds.
Indeed, life on earth seems at stake”

- Anna Tsing

We’ve received some finely attended contributions to our collection recently - take a look here.

If you have anything you’d like to contribute to our gallery, please send them in.

And we recently received an interesting thought and invitation from Sarah Pogoda:

“Usually, people look at Wales and see its landscapes. A landscape is a panorama - often with few people in it either. It's remote paradise nihilates people, but also the close view. But your miniatures change this panorama gaze onto Wales for a close look into the non-panorama, engaging with what usually dissapears into landscape: micro-organisms but also people. That said, the presentation of some of the miniatures makes sometimes references to the panoramatic gaze - when the miniature appears to be a landscape … Just a lonely thought from me to share, no conclusion or further thoughts, yet. But I would be curious to start a conversation on this…” .

What do you think?

11-12 June 2022: Utopias Bach weekend

Hold the date!

We are hatching a plan to bring us all (human and more-than-human) together with each other and what we’ve discovered, learned and created… we are envisaging music, discussion, silence, noticing, radical (re-)imagination, performance, sound, installation, film, picnics, presentations and whatever you might want to do!

The 12th will be at Plas Bodfa, Llangoed, Ynys Mon, and the 11th in Bangor - perhaps as part of Draig Beats festival.