M1 Singapore Fringe Festival: aMoratorium
Festival enthusiasts gather ’round! We’re kicking off 2024 with the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival. Organised by The Necessary Stage & featuring artists from all over the world, #M1SFF runs from the 17-28th January, boasting a unique lineup of socially-conscious theatre.
First in line is “aMoratorium”, a dance theatre piece by choreographer J’Sun Howard that plunges deep into black male identity…
Image credit: Kiam Marcelo Junio
“aMoratorium” was two years in the making. In 2018 the Art Institute of Chicago commissioned J’Sun to create a piece in response to its retrospective of Charles Wilbert White, the visual artist who placed the spotlight on #AfricanAmerican history & culture….
Image credit: Kristie Kahns
But J’Sun’s creative juices had been brewing for years before the retrospective. After the passing of his father in 2013 & the surge in news about the unjust killings of black men & women, J’Sun’s work underwent a profound transformation. “It ignited a shift in my artistic practice to be more conscious about being in space and creating with and for men of colour.”
Image credit: Kristie Kahns
No stone has been left unturned in J’Sun’s creative process. His toolkit includes poetry by men of colour, studies on bird flight, and his Granny’s storytelling. In “aMoratorium”, music is also a huge part of it, with an “afrosurreal electronic ecstatic lounge” vibe co-curated by DJ Jared Brown, performers Dedrick Gray & Solomon Bowser, & J’Sun.
Image credit: Kristie Kahns
“aMoratorium” also delves into notions of black spirituality. J’Sun describes the aha! moment inspired by White’s paintings: “I recalled many of the stories my grandparents told us about growing up in southern Georgia. Many of them were centred around the church [which got me] thinking how black spiritual traditions could answer what is black ‘being’ for black men.”
Image credit: Kristie Kahns
Getting to know J’Sun’s alchemical process, you soon realise that “aMoratorium'' is his heart & soul, echoing numerous personal experiences: “It resonates with me when I think about all the times I was targeted…”. But it’s not just about him; J’Sun hopes the performance can create space for black people & other global minorities to live fuller, vibrant lives. His ultimate goal? That audiences will take one simple truth from his work: “That black men live, love, want peace, and care for others just like everyone else.”
Image credit: Kristie Kahns
Catch “aMoratorium” on the 17 & 18th of January 2024 at Esplanade Theatre Studio.
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