art activism for
community development through
civic engagement and cultural exchange
performance on screens
video exhibition
Video of Nok Cha Cafe performance in Changdong, collaboration by Nathan Stoneham & Jeremy Neideck @ Cue – Changdong Open Studios 7
Cue!
changdong art studio open showcase
WHAT: Nok Cha Cafe (performance meditation, video, sound, live art & music + free korean green tea)
WHO: Jeremy Neideck & Nathan Stoneham
WHEN: Tomorrow night! 27th Oct @ 7pm
WHERE: Changdong Art Studios, Changdong, Seoul, Korea.
HOW TO GET THERE: Take the light blue line (number 4) to Changdong, exit the train station via exit 2 – keep walking in the direction of the stairs out of the station, cross the road and catch bus 1157 to the Korea Exchange Bank, Changdong branch – the studios are next door! Alternatively, show a taxi driver this map once you get to Changdong!
Cue!
Looking Back
Reflection on Nok Cha Cafe at UTR
Check out this video package of footage from the Brisbane season of Nok Cha Cafe as part of Brisbane Festival’s Under The Radar Festival.
Enough time has passed for me to sit down and write a little about the Brisbane season of Nok Cha Cafe. To be honest, it was quite an exhausting experience – creating this “solo” work (I was the only live performer, but many people contributed to the video & audio material) was time consuming and mentally draining… I faced a couple of problems that can arise when performing a public performance, in a relatively un-controlled environment, without any preparation in the performance space or with the technology that will be used. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was disappointed with the first night due to some projector issues – but now I just consider that a tech run, since I’m happy with how the other nights went! Day 2, 3 & 4 were pretty smooth sailing and I received some lovely feedback. In the same way that my season opened on a downer, it ended on a downer too due to an intoxicated man abusing me after the show for a few minutes until security was called and I was escorted away. It was really difficult for me to understand what upset him so much. He was an angry nationalist, and he said he was disgusted by my ignorance. Despite the abuse (which was not aimed at the work, or at my appearance/sexuality/behaviour – but rather my thinking… somehow… it’s pretty irrational since he doesn’t know anything about how or what I think) I remained calm.
Anyway, despite these unfortunate moments, I was proud of Nok Cha Cafe. I’m proud of the video of performance stunts that I featured, proud of the music I wrote, proud to facilitate a cross-cultural process between Australia, Korea and Japan, proud to include elements of Korean culture and language, and very very proud that I was able to donate to Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights, Korea. Since the work was heavily focused on multi-media, I feel like the live action could be developed into a more structured performance… but after our showcase of Nok Cha at the National Museum of Contemporary Art next week, I think I need a rest from this project. Time for something new.
It was what it is was. A performance art meditation on separation & displacement using tea to help us be present in the here and now.
Solidarity for LGBT Rights of Korea
Offsetting Art
In line with my philosophy to match the cost of making art and donate that amout to a charity/aid agency/human rights group, I will donate to Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea.
Major goals of Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea are as follows :
- Abolishing discrimination of sexual minorities.
- Achieving cooperation among different minority groups.
- Establishing a consistent alliance against oppression on foreign workers, women and national workers.
- Addressing sexual minorities issues onto “National Human Rights Commission”
- Establishing cooperated shields against illegal investigation of gay bars and mass-media companies broadcasting and reporting biased news on sexual minorities.
- Staging allied movements against the government’s illogical AIDS policies saying, “.. must have our sex education strengthened in order to help the youngsters avoid being involved in the homosexual ideas and activities, which will hopefully lower the rate of HIV-positive among the population ..”
For more info & the organisations history, visit here
Cafe Open
2 nights left
Under The Radar has begun and Nok Cha Cafe is open!
Come to the top of Queen Street Mall (approaching George Street) to witness a traditional Korean green tea ceremony and some multimedia/performance.
We used a different projector tonight and the result was lovely – so if you happened to see the performance on Friday night (and couldn’t quite make out what the images were, and saw me struggling to interact with them…) feel free to drop in again on Sunday or Monday night at 8pm. I was disappointed that I couldn’t give Friday’s audiences what I wanted to, but it’s all good now.
There’s a bunch of great stuff happening at UNDER THE RADAR, and BRISFEST – make sure you check out the website.
I head back to Korea on Friday, so this might be our last chance to catch-up for another couple of months…
Gotta thank Fi & The UTR team for quickly fixing the tech issues. Also Mum and my sisters for last-minute help. And Kate and Alice for their excellent FOH skills xoxoxoxoxoxo
Street Press
BF09 UTR's getting close!
Only 2 weeks until Nok Cha Café will open on Queen Street Mall as part of Under The Radar!
Got a program? They’ve hit the streets so have a look amongst your local street press…
Nok Cha Café business cards & oversized postcards are also floating around to help spread the word (although I’m beginning to worry that too many people might miss out on a tea, due to limited bamboo mats!)
Also be sure to pick up a copy of this weeks Time Off – there’s a rad feature on Under The Radar with Q&As with all the artists. On ya Time Off!
Under The Radar
Brisbane Festival 2009
September 18 at 6pm & 8pm and from September 19th – 21st at 8pm each night. At the Westpack building in Queen Street Mall, opposite The Coffee Club. Map below:
the reverse of here and now
love and technology
as per usual, suddenly i’m back in brisbane… and jeremy is in seoul… the opposite of the photo above which depicts me in seoul and footage of jezz in brisbane… the boundaries are starting to blur… geography is losing the war against love and technology… separation exists, but only when we forget that we’re all one with eachother and this earth.
tea helps us to appreciate the here and the now, while reminding us of our connection to the universe.
it’s all a bit cosmic, but i’m ok with that tonight.
Car Park Party
Nok Cha Cafe Showing
Carpark Event! Friday 3.7.09 @ 8pm
Changdong Art Studio – Subway line 1 or 4 to Changdong. Exit 2. Bus 1157 or 1133 to Korea Exchange Bank, Changdong Branch.
Projection of street performance, live daegum, the rice paper cube and free gree tea!
Experiment In The Studio
Nok Cha Cafe Promo Image
