Virtual Migrants

art, digital media, performance exploring race, migration, environment, global justice

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November 27, 2020 by koojchuhan

Rare interview and poetry by Nnimmo Bassey

Nigerian environmental activist Nnimmo Bassey self organised a filmmaker in Nigeria to give us a gem: on video both an interview and poetry by Nnimmo Bassey. To begin, he recites two of his original poems, ‘I Will Not Dance To Your Beat’ and ‘I Thought It Was Oil, But It Was Blood’.

The short film was originally created for CONTINENT CHOP CHOP transmedia performance by Virtual Migrants. A story told through poetry, music and digital-media connecting legacies of inequality to climate change. It is now released to the public, very worthwhile to watch.

Interview and poetry by Nnimmo Bassey

First off, the poetry:

Along with the above film is a rare interview with Nnimmo, created for the same project, on the subject of The Climate Crisis Needs System Change:

We are very grateful to have this interview and poetry by Nnimmo Bassey and to be able to make this available to our readers.

Pic of Nnimmo Bassey for the Continent Chop Chop production and the interview and poetry by Nnimmo Bassey

More about Nnimmo Bassey:

Nnimmo Bassey (b.11 June 58) is director of the ecological think-tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and member steering committee of Oilwatch International. He was chair of Friends of the Earth International (2008-2012) and Executive Director of Nigeria’s Environmental Rights Action (1993-2013). He was a co-recipient of the 2010 Right Livelihood Award also known as the “Alternative Noble Prize.” In 2012 he received the Rafto Human Rights Award. In 2014 he received Nigeria’s national honour as Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in recognition of his environmental activism. Bassey is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and has authored books on the environment, architecture and poetry. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of York, United Kingdom in July 2019. His books include We Thought it Was Oil, But It was Blood –Poetry (Kraft Books, 2002), I will Not Dance to Your Beat – Poetry (Kraft Books, 2011), To Cook a Continent – Destructive Extraction and the Climate Crisis in Africa (Pambazuka Press, 2012) and Oil Politics – Echoes of Ecological War (Daraja Press, 2016).

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May 13, 2018 by

Migrant Frontiers, Hostile Detainment: creative activism

Two FREE events before and after a screening of ‘Human Flow’ by Ai Weiwei: ‘Migrant Frontiers’ and ‘Hostile Detainment’, both with a strong political agenda and dedicated to the hunger strike at Yarlswood detention centre by over 100 detainees just two months ago.  They are taking place at HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN Manchester, on Thurs 21st June 2018.  More info, plus GALLERY of images from the protest event:

 

Migrant Frontiers

Migrant Frontiers8.30pm – 10.30pm, the café-bar at HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN

In conversation chaired by artist-filmmaker-activist Kooj Chuhan with guests veteran migrant rights campaigner Tony Openshaw, Mariam Yusuf who is currently seeking asylum, and the ‘These Walls Must Fall’ campaign.  Live poetry from Sai Murray with musical backing will punctuate the discussion.  The panel will reflect on the Human Flow film, the injustice of immigration detention, the history of migrant justice and the work of Virtual Migrants who are marking 20 years of art and activism.  [Read more…]

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February 2, 2016 by

Photo Gallery of Continent Chop Chop show in Leeds

Following our recent tour, here is a photo gallery of Continent Chop Chop as it was performed in Leeds, all photos by Max Farrar.  We are going to add more updates about that tour as time goes on, as well as details of what we are currently developing.  For full details of the Continent Chop Chop project, go to http://virtualmigrants.net/continent-chop-chop/ or locate the project in the drop down menu above.

Photo Gallery:

Click on any image to view the photos in a nice and cool large-size slideshow.

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Photo Gallery of Continent Chop Chop show in Leeds
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October 22, 2015 by koojchuhan

Continent Chop Chop | Climate justice performance

CONTINENT CHOP CHOP
austerity, refugees and climate destruction: a story told through music, poetry, transmedia and spoken word

With performances currently touring from October-December 2015 in Manchester, London, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Leeds and Leicester. Tour dates and tickets

Continent Chop Chop climate justice performanceClimate justice stories from across the world weaved together via Afrobeat influences, experimental electronics, English Folk and deconstructed imperial anthems.

Continent Chop Chop asks: What are the connections between climate change and poverty? How does the wider climate of austerity and scapegoating of migrants connect with climate change? And why should anyone care when they don’t have enough to eat?

Featuring commissioned recordings and footage from Nnimmo Bassey, a Nigeria-based leading environmental activist, and from Zena Edwards, a London-based performance poet, writer and musician.

A performance project by the Virtual Migrants collective.
Devised and led by Sai Murray (writer, performer), Aidan Jolly (musician, composer) and Maya Chowdhry (transmedia artist).  Supporting artists: Tracey Zengeni (vocals, performer), Jaydev Mistry (musician, digital soundscapes), Kooj Chuhan (video artist), Mazaher Rafshajani (photography and video).
Directed by Amanda Huxtable.

Full details of Continent Chop Chop climate justice performance at: www.virtualmigrants.net/continent-chop-chop

LIST OF PERFORMANCES IN 2015:
Ticket prices and ticketing details here

Saturday 31st October, 7.30pm
Kirklees Media Centre, Huddersfield  http://www.the-media-centre.co.uk

Saturday 7th November, 6 – 8pm
Highfields Centre, Leicester  http://www.highfieldscentre.ac.uk/home.html

Tuesday 10th November 6pm  (excerpt as part of ‘Dance The Guns To Silence’)
Rich Mix, London  http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/dance-the-guns-to-silence-ii/

Saturday 14th November, 7.30pm
Anthony Burgess Centre, Manchester  www.anthonyburgess.org
Tickets: http://continent-chop-manchester.eventbrite.co.uk

Sunday 15th November, 3 – 5pm
The Lantern, Liverpool  http://www.lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk/

Friday 20th November, 7.30pm
Seven Arts, Leeds  http://www.sevenleeds.co.uk/

Thursday 3rd December, 6.30pm
Free Word Centre, London  www.freewordcentre.com

Full details of the performances and online videos at www.virtualmigrants.net/continent-chop-chop
Information on our participatory workshops to be announced soon.

Continent Chop Chop climate justice performance - funders and partners logos

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August 6, 2015 by koojchuhan

Cultural consciousness: Poster Film Collective in the 80s and other online pieces

Selected posts by Kooj Chuhan recently on Virtual Migrants’ Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VirtualMigrants :

Poster Film Collective cultural consciousness in the 80s

Whose World Is The World by Poster Film Collective cultural consciousness in the 80s. Any parallels now? http://poster-collective.org.uk/whoseworld/index.php
These posters were often in the youth clubs and community centres that we worked in, running creative, campaigning and discussion activities focused on anti-racist and suppressed historical ideas and knowledge. They gave a continuity in the environment that the people who used the building could continue to reflect on after the activities and workshops, in an immediate and visual way without too much text clutter. I really think we need this kind of stuff again in our physical environment, maybe the digital world makes us forget these possibilities?

Poster Film Collective "Whose World Is The World" cultural consciousness
Poster Film Collective "Whose World Is The World" cultural consciousness
Poster Film Collective "Whose World Is The World" cultural consciousness
Poster Film Collective "Whose World Is The World" cultural consciousness

Migrant crisis: tackle the cause and not the symptom?

The Chance Or Choice report suggests long term answer lies in [Read more…]

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This website mostly features our work from 2013 onwards, for previous work go to: www.virtualmigrants.com

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Virtual Migrants refuse to take any oil, coal, or gas corporate sponsorship for our cultural work.

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