You are invited to MigARTion!
December 18th (Tues) | Community Gathering &
Art Exhibition, 7pm-10pm
December 19th (Wed) | Art Exhibition, 9am-4pm
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC
FREE. Wheel-chair accessible.
December 18 has been proclaimed as the International Migrants Day in the City of Vancouver this year. On this same day, Co. ERASGA and MIGRANTE BC will present MigARTion, their collaborative project participated in by migrant workers and immigrants from the Filipino and Latino communities using the art forms of the painting, dance, theatre, and music.
All migrants have their stories of migration to Canada. Many carry the physical and emotional scars of their journeys. Some share their stories. Some keep them in the deepest recesses of their hearts and minds. Professional artists in voice Jeremiah Carag, in theatre Dennis Gupa, in dance Alvin Erasga Tolentino, and in the visual arts Bert Monterona worked together with migrant workers to bring out the different personal stories in the workshops that started in October. MigArtion is the culmination of these workshops that saw migrant workers, who have little experience training in music, dance, theatre and visual arts — or none at all — create pieces that are remarkable and touching.
According to Alvin Tolentino of Co. Erasga, “This process gives critical agency among the participants, allowing their distinct voices to emerge within a space and atmosphere of free will, joyous participation and critical public engagement. In this initiative, the artists and the migrant participants work together in exploring artistic practices and integrate critical and empathic discussions on settler colonialism, history of migration, arts and the migrant and indigenous ways of knowing and being.”
MigARTion will have two days of public events. On December 18th, the opening night will include the unveiling of the art exhibition featuring works created by the participants, various presentations, performance sharing, community dialogue, a reception, and a proclamation by the Mayor of Vancouver declaring December 18, 2018 as “International Migrants Day” in Vancouver. On December 19th, the art exhibition will remain open to the public from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm.
Choreographer and dancer Alvin Erasga Tolentino founded Co.Erasga in 2000 and has earned a distinguished international reputation with its vision of hybrid dance, diversity and collaborations with other artistic practices and multimedia. Co.ERASGA exposes and explores issues of cultural identity, gender, hybridity, and promotes cross-cultural dialogue. Co. Erasga celebrates its 18th year anniversary in 2018 and its decades of work has created critically acclaimed contemporary dance productions: SOLA, BATO/Stone, MINORI, Volt, She Said, Field, OrienTik/ Portrait, BODYGlass, PARADISE/Paradis, ADAMEVE/Man-Woman, Shadow Machine, EXpose, Unwrapping Culture, and most recently Collected, Traces and Still Here.
Migrante BC is a community-based organization committed to protect and promote the rights and welfare of Filipino immigrants and migrant workers in British Columbia, Canada. Migrante BC celebrates its 10th year anniversary in 2018. Migrante BC is a member of Bayan Canada and the International Migrants Alliance. The Migrant Workers’ Dignity Association/La Asociacion Dignidad Migrante is a grassroots organization of migrant workers and volunteers practicing mutual aid to learn and transform the world.
This project is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, BC Gaming Commission, City of Vancouver, Vancouver Foundation, Co.ERASGA, Migrante BC, Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, and the Kensington Branch of the Vancouver Public Library. For info, call 604-687-6185 or email info@companyerasgadance.ca
Follow MigArtion on Facebook: http://bit.ly/migartionevent , Instagram @co.erasga | Twitter @coERASGA and the website:www.companyerasgadance.ca
