Vancouver, Canada
SWIM
what parts of oneself and one’s old life must be sacrificed in pursuit of a new beginning?
It is 8 kilometres from Güzelçamli, Turkey to the Greek island of Samos, or 160 lengths of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. That’s the distance many must swim in search of asylum in Europe. SWIM is an immersive sensorial experience that imagines the physical, mental and spiritual challenges of this treacherous passage as it meditates upon the emotional toll of displacement. Harnessing cutting-edge technologies to simulate audio and tactile sensations, the audience experiences much of the piece in darkness. Drawing loose inspiration from the epic Arabic story of Laila and Majnun, SWIM invites audiences to imagine what feelings one moves through as they endure the fatigue of this perilous crossing. It meditates on the question: When one is driven to leave their love, their life, their home — what parts of oneself and one’s old life must be sacrificed in pursuit of a new beginning? SWIM is a PuSh Festival commission.
Audience Role
Listener.
Ages: 16 +
Content Advisories
Interaction Advisories
Mobility Advisories
Tags
3
Events
3
Years on EI
About PuSh Festival
The PuSh Festival works on the unceded and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ first nations, primarily in the territory that was the seasonal and ancestral village of K’emk’emeláy. We want to express our deep gratitude for those who have cared for this land from time immemorial. As settlers on this territory we are striving to build reciprocal relationships with our Host Nations and the Indigenous Urban Communities of artists and audiences on this territory and beyond. As a part of our ongoing efforts to develop systems of working that are relational, sustainable and transparent, we are in the process of revising our mission, vision and values. We remain committed to presenting works for the stage that are driven by necessity. Works that help us face challenging truths with empathy and embodiment, and works that facilitate essential conversations. We hold as a core value the importance of exchange among local, national and international artists and continue to foster relationships between these artists and our community. The Festival, held in January and February each year in the lower mainland remains a place for audiences to encounter work that is innovative and surprising, for artists to showcase for an international audience and for new work to emerge.