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becoming czech

36 hours. Three artists. One question: what is home?

​Becoming Czech is an immersive, co-created gathering that invited audiences in Brno to reflect on identity, home, and migration from the perspective of first-generation migrants. Set inside a transformed theatre space (part pillow-fort, part living room) the 36-hour installation created a “brave space”: soft but radical, intimate yet political.

Creating a sense of collective presence by blurring the line between audiences and artists, the work centred the lived experiences of migrants an offered the opportunity to re-think the role and place of cultural spaces. Becoming Czech were structured discussions, storytelling circles, communal cooking and a sleepover. A live broadcast ran throughout, allowing people around the world to tune in, respond, and contribute their own reflections on “Becoming Czech”.

Developed with local artists Sonya Darrow, Alma Lily Rayner, and Maa Ry Nguyen and co-produced by Terén (Centre for Experimental Theatre), the event responded directly to the urgent political context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

We commissioned texts from authors who have participated in the open call and came from the countries of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. 

These can be read here (English) and here (Czech)

21–22/3/2022 | Studio CED, Zelný trh 9, Brno| Terén, Centrum experimentálního divadla 

 

Curated by: Lora Krasteva 

Producer: Claire Gilbert 

In collaboration with: Sonya Darrow, Maa Ry Nguyen, Alma Lily Rayner

Terén: Kristína Čajkovičová, Barbora Doležalová, Matyáš Dlab, Viktória Citráková, Soňa Borodáčová, Jonáš Garaj, Jozef Fertaľ, Lukáš Jiřička

Technical support: Nikol Piškytlová, Jan Bražina, Ondřej Hanslian

Narrative reporter from CEDIT: Jakub Liška

Writers: Olga Krykun, Georgy Mezhuev, Arseny Aleinik, Nadezda Nazarova, Masha Kovtun, Darja Lukjanenko, Andrei Shulha, Ekaterina Plechkova, Polina Khatsenka, Aliaksandra Yakubouskaya, Viktoriia Tymonova

 

Special thanks: to all the interviewees that wish to remain anonymous, Daisy Grant, Harkiran Kalsi & TIC Gallery. 

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About the venue;

Terén is a dramaturgical and production platform based in Brno without its own permanent stage, operating since 2019 alongside the Divadlo Husa na provázku and HaDivadloit they also run Centre for Experimental Theatre.

Becoming Czech was the first chapter of the wider European project Becoming […], exploring identity and belonging through locally-rooted, artist-led interventions. 

These presentations were supported in 2022 by Perform Europe.

Becoming […] is available to concept tour internationally. If you are interested in hosting a Becoming […] residency, please contact producer Claire Gilbert producer@lorakrasteva.com

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The Artists

Alma Lily Rayner

Sonya Darrow

Maa Ry Nguyen

Full schedule of events 

Monday 21 March 2022

10 - Space opened to the public

12-14 - Communal lunch and sharing circle

15-17 - Space remains open to create, write, draw, speak, rest

18-19:30 - Panel discussion on immigration and asylum seeking in the Czech Republic with Maja Vusilović, Bernadette Nadya Jaworsky, Ivana Raposova Božič, Alicia Synek Rétiová and Arghavan Baghernia

20-22 - Communal performative dinner

From 22 - Good night stories and winding down ahead of sleepover. 

 

Tuesday 22 March 2022

8-10 - Gentle waking up. Coffee, breakfast and starting the day together 

10-12 - Space re-opens to public for creation, listening and broadcast

12-14 - Lunch and sharing circle 

15-18 - Space remains open to create, write, draw, speak, rest

19-20 - Closing event including Q&A with artists & reflections

From 20 - We headed to the Teren bar for an informal drink & goodbye

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