Interweaving Spaces is an immersive, multi-media installation, created by artist and activist Gil Mualem-Doron, which was originally commissioned by Sussex Wildlife Trust. The exhibition highlights current discourse around climate change and marine conservation to create an underwater landscape that both reimagines history, and calls for action to prevent future environmental disasters.
The installation will host a series of workshops and events throughout October as part of our Black History Month celebrations. This includes dance workshops from acclaimed Brighton-based artist Lya Abdou Issa (aka Blkdiamondance).
We caught up with Gil and Lya to discuss the installation, how it ties into Black History Month, and what they hope visitors will gain from the experience.
About Gil
Dr Gil Mualem-Doron is an artist and activist, “I never studied art as such, so my art really came from activism and the inspiration to combine art and activism – or to use artistic tools in activism”. Gil has been inspired by activist movements that incorporate community partnership, celebration, and shared joy to reclaim public spaces. In his own work, Gil has worked to disrupt traditional ‘white cube’ art spaces with loud, joyful expressions of culture and heritage.
It was through The New Union Flag Project at Peckham Platform that Gil became interested in using textiles as cultural reference points in his work: “I started to look at textile traditions and textile design as a form of identity performance”.
This project drew national acclaim and formed the strong foundations on which Interweaving Spaces has been built. His passion to practise art and activism lies comfortably beside his desire to draw parallels between global environmental and cultural issues.
About Lya
Lya Blkdiamondance is a dancer, choreographer and dance teacher whose students come to her to experience music, movement and community. Her motto is ‘Dance Like Everybody is Watching’ and she has founded a group under the same name that delivers street dance training on the Hove Seafront, encouraging participants to reclaim space, to feel safe and beautiful through expressive dance. “My work aims to make people feel seen and celebrated in public spaces.” Following the Black Lives Matter movement Lya wanted to use dance and movement to challenge all forms of discrimination and the ‘invisibility’ experienced by marginalised groups in dance:
“Whether I’m teaching or dancing on my own, my purpose is to spread joy and happiness, [to] create positive associations and diverse representations… I want to inspire change and encourage others in the process.”
Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity
Sussex Wildlife Trust and Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, are working to restore the kelp forests that were once abundant around the Sussex coast.
Long-time Worthing residents will remember the shoreline swamped with thick kelp that would wash up after rough seas. This Kelp would then be taken by local farmers to fertilise their fields. Aggressive fishing tactics throughout the 20th century destroyed the seabed vegetation and the diverse marine life it supported.
Gil has utilised textiles, lighting and sound to replicate a kelp forest. The textile pieces are printed with traditional designs from the regions of the world where kelp is commonly found, from Scottish tartan designs to Native American designs from California. The designs literally weave these multiple cultures together, highlighting that, although geographically distant, they are connected by the sea and their natural wildlife: “when you go to swim in the sea you are connected to other people from a different part of the globe… the seas always connect you.” The piece uses textiles to explore the story of human intervention and destruction of marine life, along with audio and visual collages to explore a reimagined history, mythology, and highlight issues on climate change and the effects of global warming.
Black History Month
Interweaving Spaces is running at the museum throughout Black History Month this October. This year’s theme is Celebrating / Saluting our Sisters and Matriarchs of Movements. It aims to recognise and applaud the invaluable contributions of black women to British society, inspire future generations, and empower them. For Lya this means “celebrating and exploring themes such as resilience, self-care and wellbeing, underscoring the strength and determination of black women throughout history.”
For Gil, Lya’s dance brings an urgent quality to the installation, “It’s immediate and powerful. The dance echoes body movement that comes from the language of protest.” Lya’s piece is an embodied expression of an underwater environment that gradually becomes more affected by climate change: “The symbolism of water was one of the reasons why I decided to create this dance… I have always been connected to the sea… Us women, us sisters are intrinsically linked to water like building a community through connection and empowerment”
Lya’s piece and the workshop, which incorporate street dance, afro-fusion and improvisation, are set against a soundtrack that weaves together audio from Extinction Rebellion protests, and a spoken word poem, Code Red! Code Red!, which is a resampled version of the speech delivered by Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados at COP26.
Gil wanted to use Mottley’s speech as “It was really inspirational, really strong, also talked about diversity, talked about climate change and its effects of global warming on the global south.” He says that finding strong political voices who are fighting climate change are becoming more difficult to find: “there are overturns of environmental commitments… and we see links with how an extreme right wing political stance is really harming the environment.”
If there was one takeaway the artists hope people will gain from the installations and workshops this October, it is that visitors and participants feel empowered to engage in protecting their local environment. Lya states that her movement piece aims to connect audiences with the resilience of nature, despite climatic distress. It is an intrinsic message within her piece, where she is “Going through all the emotions that the planet is going through and putting it into dance.” Gil says “This exhibition is a warning sign… A call for action, so I hope people come out more aware, more empowered and take some stance.”
Interweaving Spaces is on at the Museum until November 5th during normal opening hours.