Liberating The Mind

This programme is a proposal to liberate your mind, decolonising it by looking at opinions and assumptions, discrimination and empowerment.

It starts and ends with a piece from Saturday Night Live (SNL), a US- American late-night live television sketch, comedy and variety show. Reese Witherspoon helps Leslie Jones to manoeuvre through White America followed by Lido Pimienta, Colombian- Canadian musician, singer and songwriter who is met with prejudiced assumptions by a Spanish speaking middle class woman at the door. Sámi filmmaker, actor and producer Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers then talks about creative expression and independent, but largely unknown films by indigenous women. Her dedication to making films with social impact can be felt when she and Kathleen Hepburn describe their joint work The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open .Coco Fusco, a Cuban-American interdisciplinary artist, writer and curator points out the rift between hiring people of colour at universities and critical teaching concerning race, ethnicity and sexuality. Together with Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Mexican-Chicano performance artist, writer and activist they staged The Couple in the Cage, Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit the West in 1992-1993. You can watch the trailer to this unbelievable and frighteningly thought-provoking performance and/or the half hour documentary. Delaine Le Bas, British Romany artist reads a statement as a member of ERIAC, the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture and provides insight into the foundation of the 1st Roma Biennale. ‘If they are civilised, I’d rather stay savage’ is the US-American rapper, poet, activist and chaplain Mona Haydar’s opening line. But what really happened on the dreadful day Beyoncé turned black you’d better see for yourself.

Leslie Jones and Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon helps Leslie Jones to manoeuvre through White America

Inner White Girl, 4:05

Source: YouTube

Lido Pimienta /A Tribe Called Red

Lido Pimienta, Colombian- Canadian musician, singer and songwriter who is met with prejudiced assumptions by a Spanish speaking middle class woman at the door.

The Light II Ft., 5:41

Source: YouTube

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers

Sámi filmmaker, actor and producer Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers then talks about creative expression and independent, but largely unknown films by indigenous women.

Decolonization, 4:34

Source: YouTube

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Kathleen Hepburn

Tailfeather’s dedication to making films with social impact can be felt when she and Kathleen Hepburn describe their joint work The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open .

The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, 3:02

Source: Vimeo

Coco Fusco, a Cuban-American interdisciplinary artist, writer and curator points out the rift between hiring people of colour at universities and critical teaching concerning race, ethnicity and sexuality.

Coco Fusco 7:33

Source: Vimeo

Coco Fusco, Guillermo Gomez-Pena

Coco Fusco, together with Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Mexican-Chicano performance artist, writer and activist, they staged The Couple in the Cage, Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit the West in 1992-1993.

TRAILER: The Couple in the Cage,1:53

Source: YouTube

Coco Fusco, Guillermo Gomez-Pena

DOCUMENTARY: The couple in the cage, 32:30

Source: YouTube

Delaine Le Bas

Delaine Le Bas, British Romany artist reads a statement as a member of ERIAC, the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture and provides insight into the foundation of the 1st Roma Biennale.

Statement by Delaine Le Bas, Member of the ERIAC, Barvalipe Academy, 1:16

Source: YouTube