location Performance Works
Dive into Rakesh Sukesh’s extraordinary journey as he transforms from a poster boy for a right-wing channel’s viral anti-immigration campaign to a powerful symbol challenging racial stereotypes. His semi-improvisational performance explores racism, representation and their effects on body, mind and our relationship to art. Revered globally, don’t miss this thought-provoking exploration at PuSh Festival 2024!
A random encounter with a camera on the streets of Tallinn, Estonia made choreographer and dancer Rakesh Sukesh a momentary poster boy for a right-wing news channel’s campaign against immigration from Asia and Africa. What happens to his body when it is rendered into a viral, racist symbol? How does it affect him, and his relationship to the mostly white, deeply loving artists and students he works with? What does it mean to make a performance about this for an art festival, which is part of a scene that has only very recently begun to show interest in his work, precisely because of the kind of racism he encountered in Tallinn?
Pawan Deol, our Executive Director of Programming will be moderating a talkback on the evening of January 24th, after the performance with the artist.
Gabrielle Martin, PuSh Festival’s Director of Programming, interviewed Rakesh Sukesh on the PuSh Play podcast. Listen to the podcast episode here.
Content Advisory: Nudity
Credits: Choreography and Performance Rakesh Sukesh Aesthetic Dramaturge and Choreographic Assistant Alessia Luna Wyss Text and Dramaturge Marcus Youssef Costume Mat Vooter Text / Dossier Gabriela Jiménez General Production – International Godlive Lawani Executive Production – Belgium Louise Mestrallet (for En Archipel asbl) Coach Florian Vuille Lighting Andie Lloyd Co-Produced By PuSh Festival, Rakesh Sukesh Co. Residency Support L’obrador, Ultima Vez, Tictac art centre, PARTS, Zinnema, Tanz haus Zurich, En archipel-Asbl, The Cultch and Neworld
Showtimes:
Runtime: 80 min
Post-show talkback: Jan 24
