WORDS FOR THE LIVING, 2021
Live Performance | Beth Derbyshire | WERK
Words for the Living is a live performance in which an individual speaker, communicates a series of words and phrases through a megaphone in public space. The words are commemorative excerpts by loved ones for so many of the key workers who have tragically passed away from Covid 19. The poignant and celebratory recital of words is a living memorial, describing the qualities of these incredible people who lost their lives whilst saving others and is intended to pay homage to loss, whilst inspiring the living through their bravery. The performance will be filmed and presented in the digital space of Into the Parade.
Into the Parade is an online web encounter and live project that explores how arts organisation and practitioners across the Midlands are engaging civically. The digital ‘Civic Centre’ is both tangible and metaphorical concept to explore the role of cultural practice in a civic context. Into the Parade is a cultural intervention that undertakes projects that have online and real-world anchors points and has been initiated by Beth Derbyshire and developed with students from the MA Arts and Project Management course at Birmingham City University.
BETH DERBYSHIRE
TOGETHER, 2007
This piece involves the projection of the word ‘together’ in English and Arabic onto the façade of the Madinat Arena building. The words are designed so as to become “marks”. The marks constantly move with the two languages meshing and morphing into each other in a regular sequence. As the sequence unfolds we see the structure of the English words collapsing then being re-constituted into Arabic and visa versa. The English moves left to right and the Arabic moves right to left so following their respective forms of reading. The structural reading of each language and the animation of the words informing the manifestation and philosophical meaning of work.
Togetherr is a work that has been made in response to Dubai and exists only in Arabic and English as it is refl ective of the artists nationality and the original and major language of the U.A.E. It is absolutely site
specific to the façade of this building, (itself built in the style of a traditional Arabic building) and to the city, a place that is a massive junction connecting many different regions of the world, a city emblematic of transience. It is also a place where apart from the original Emirate nationality many new cultures have arrived within a few years of each other and begun to establish themselves. Dubai is city on the move, its characteristic mood speaks of the future. Together is a work that juxtaposes the translation of an emotive word inscribed in light onto the very structure of the city.
It is a work that seeks to create a moment in which to reflect. Set in the backdrop of a truly cosmopolitan city these silent ephemeral signs act out a mesmeric and rhythmical dance. Together in one sense operates as an open ended proposal that evokes questions to do with integration at a time when given international situations and the development of new states/countries notions of nationality and citizenship are being re-addressed. Together is ultimately offered as an optimistic gesture, a simple but resonant statement which celebrates the meeting of international communities.
Press links:
https://jalaltoufic.com/downloads/First_Annual_Global_Art_Forum,_2007.pdf