Protest, Power, Struggle and Strife. ¡No Pasarán!
Saturday 19 May 2012, Rich Mix, 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA
East End-based Rich Mix continues Snapshots - a bite-sized festival in 12 parts celebrating East London in its Olympic year – with its eleventh instalment, Protest, power, struggle and strife: ¡No Pasarán!
A special Snapshots event exploring the many different protests and struggles that have risen in East London and beyond. With an exhibition, film screenings, family workshop, a theatre performance, talks, discussions, live music and much more besides, this is a unique event for people of all ages and interests.
The day will start with a guided walk of East London by teacher, tour guide and author of "Battle for the East End: Jewish responses to fascism in the 1930” David Rosenberg. Discover why sweatshop workers downed tools, bakers formed workers' cooperatives, councillors went to prison, people built barricades to stop fascists and police were pelted with kitchen implements. Discover who was agitating and rioting and refusing to accept injustice and inequality, where they protested, and what they achieved.
Meanwhile back at Rich Mix the Main Space will be transformed into political market place and forum for the day. A series of talks, presentations and films will explore the many different protests and struggles that have risen in East London. Bishopsgate Institute’s Library and Archives Manager Stefan Dickers will explore activities and the archives stretching back over two centuries. Phil Maxwell and Hazuan Hashim host a double bill screening of Not in our Name, a film exploring the response of artists to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and May Day a film celebrating international workers day. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session. Also screening will be the documentary film #whilewewatch, a gripping portrait of the #OccupyWallSt media revolution by Kevin Breslin.
Courtesy of the Reaching Beyond project, Rich Mix will host several installation pieces by artist Santiago Bell. Santiago Bell, born in 1932, was a Chilean educator, political activist, poet and artist who was imprisoned and tortured by the Pinochet regime in the 1970s. He later came to Britain as a political refugee. Santiago was an artist/craftsman whose political insight and theological reflection found expression in finely carved imaginative wooden constructions. Santiago Bell died in 2005.
For theatre buffs, Upstairs @ Rich Mix will host the theatre show ‘From The Dark Hills’. This play centres around a town called Ashington in the North East of England during the miners strike of 1984. With five actors doubling up to play twenty-six characters within the space of fifty minutes with full costume changes, the audience will witness the physical endurance of the performers. Five protagonists provide the plot, but this piece is essentially about the struggle of a larger community.
From 8pm what better way to kick off your evening by indulging in some new wave political music by Captain SKA. The 7 piece band behind last year's massive viral and chart hit Liar Liar.“An infectious synth-reggae attack on the coalition government's comprehensive spending review”. The Guardian, March 2011 Able support is provided by songwriter Davey Moss and DJ Jamie Renton.
PROGRAMME
Santiago Bell Installations. Thurs 17 – Wed 30 May Lower Café / Free
Courtesy of the Reaching Beyond project, Rich Mix presents two installations by Santiago Bell – A Chilean educator, political activist, poet and artist imprisoned and tortured by the Pinochet regime in the 1970’s. An artist whose political insight and theological reflection found expression in finely carved imaginative wooden constructions.
Market Place + Forum. 12pm – 5pm / Free
A series of talks, presentations, films exploring the many different protests and struggles that have risen up in East London. Including:
• Protest and Radicalism in Bishopsgate Library. 12pm
Bishopsgate Library is home to the archives of numerous campaign and radical groups. Join Stefan Dickers to find out more in an illustrated exploration of their activities and archives stretching back over two centuries.
• Phil Maxwell and Hazuan Hashim Double Bill screening + Q&A. 2.30pm
Not in our Name (70 mins) Explores the response of artists to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan / May Day (15 mins) A film celebrating international workers day.
• #whilewewatch film screening by Kevin Breslin. 4.30pm
The gripping portrait of the #OccupyWallSt media revolution.
¡No Pasarán! Guided Walk. 12pm. £8.50 (Start at Whitechapel Gallery)
Join this walk and discover why people from the East End were rioting and refusing to accept injustice and inequality, where they protested, and what they achieved.
Free Family Workshop. 1pm – 3pm. Free
Free arts and crafts for children aged 5 to 12 and their parents/carers.
THEATRE
From the Dark Hills. 6pm. Free
Centres around a North East town in England during the miners strike of 1984. With five actors doubling up to play 26 characters within the space of 55 minutes with full costume changes, the audience witness the physical endurance of the performers. Five protagonists provide the plot, but this piece is essentially about the struggle of a larger community.
LIVE MUSIC
Captain SKA plus DJ Jamie Renton and Davey Moss. 8pm. Free.
New wave political music. The 7 piece band behind last year's massive viral and chart hit Liar Liar.
Snapshots is a showcase of the flavours, feelings and fashions that make East London the place it is; a smattering of family-friendly, free exhibitions, workshops, performances and film; an arena for diversity, debate and disagreement; an opportunity to look back in time as well as a platform for the young and talented; a market-place, a melting pot, and a meeting-place.
Each month Snapshots will focus on a particular culture that makes up part of the fabric of the local area, giving people the opportunity to delve back into history as well as look forward to the future of East London. So from the Bengali to the Jewish communities; to the East End pub culture and the fashion/garment trades; to the Carnival celebrations, we will be capturing the spirit of these cultures and histories through a variety of commissioned theatre, music, art, dance, film, debate, family events and more.
LISTING INFORMATION
Rich Mix
Info & Booking 020 76137498, 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA. Liverpool Street Tube, Shoreditch High Street Station or Bethnal Green Tube
Rich Mix Snapshots Festival. Part 11.
Pritest, Power, Struggle and Strife: ¡No Pasarán!
Saturday 19 May. 12pm – Midnight
End-based Rich Mix will mark the one-year countdown to the Games with the launch of a year-long festival - Snapshots - a bite-sized festival in 12 parts celebrating East London in its Olympic year. Snapshots Festival continues in May 2012 exploring protest and struggles that have risen up in East London. With theatre performances, an exhibition, music, storytelling, workshops, short films, children’s activities and market stalls.
More information,
Rich Mix Snapshots Festival
Saturday 23 July 2011 to 21st July 2012
Snapshots - a bite-sized festival in 13 parts celebrating East London in its Olympic year. Snapshots is showcase of the flavours, feelings and fashions that make East London the place it is; a smattering of family-friendly, free exhibitions, workshops, performances and film; an arena for diversity, debate and disagreement; an opportunity to look back in time as well as a platform for the young and talented; a market-place, a melting pot and a meeting-place.
· Saturday 23rd July: “Snapshots Launch: Rich Mix Open Weekend”
· Saturday 23rd August: “Carnival Mix: Bringing the Party East”
· Saturday 24th September: “Fashion & Garment Trade: Rag Trade / Trading Rags”
· Saturday 22nd October: “Black History Month: Black History... Black Future”
· Saturday 12th November: “Migration: Just passing through?”
· Saturday 17th December: “Alternative Christmas: Meet me under the mistletoe”
· Sunday 29th January: “East London Jewish Culture: Bagels, Bar Mitzvah and Babkas”
· Saturday 18th February: “Valentines: An East-End Love Affair”
· Saturday 24th March: “Bangladesh Community: Banglatown”
· Saturday 21st April: “St George’s Day: My old man said follow the band”
· Saturday 19th May: “Protest, power, struggle and strife: ¡No Pasarán!”
· Saturday 21st July: “Snapshots Finale: Olympics Commences”
