SOJOURN
SOJOURN was Dumb Instrument’s program of paid residences from May – Dec 2021 for artists who display and sell their material creations at Morrow. Open space for these artists to dream, work and play – often experimenting across forms.
Here’s a calendar of SOJOURN Residences with a message from each artist about their residence activities and experiences:
April 26 – May 2
” I explored and developed my painting and drawing practices at MORROW. I found a space separate from home during this pandemic that safely nurtured my creativity. It was a rare gift, spending this residency exploring how the experience of movement/dance within my own body influences how and what I paint. I experimented with abstracting and amplifying the anatomy of humans, animals and other watery bodies. Sojourn was the first time I worked with live models, reinterpreting the “odds” and ends of their bodies through watercolour and ink. “
May 3 -9
” During my Sojourn Residence, I painted the auras of dance artists Emmalena Frerikkson and Alyssa Amarshi and of Taiko Artist Anny Lin. The process involved a general reading about the energy and the colours that surround these colleagues. Afterwards, I danced at Morrow, with heightened awareness of my own aura and the energy that fills the space. “
May 13 – 15
” During my Sojourn Residence, I filmed a segment of a music video for LA based band Media Jeweler and also workshopped some of my own music and video ideas. I have spent time in maybe maximum 3 spaces for since the onset of the pandemic, so the opportunity twork in another space was very inspiring for me. As a musician during covid, it’s rare to get the opportunity to work outside of my own practice space and this residence inspired fresh and new ideas. “
May 16 – 23
“During my Sojourn Residence, I dove into movement research for my project Flow Tide, a duet in collaboration with local Japanese calligraphy artist Kisyuu. First created in Summer 2020 as a short film, I revised ideas from the film version of Flow Tide into a live performance that further explored the relationship between movement and the traditional art of Japanese calligraphy. My residence explored how calligraphy tools and the lasting, visual shapes on paper created by sumi ink influenced and interfered with embodied impulses, and how it overlapped with a meditative and task-based approach to choreography. I am incredibly grateful for Dumb Instrument Dance’s support that made this research possible.“
Resilient Roots Program
June – August
Huge Thanks to Vines Arts Festival for enabling us to support the work of Peyton Straker and Manuel Axel Strain, who were part of Vines’ 2021 Resilient Roots Program.
July 19 – 23
“During my Sojourn Residence, I worked on scoring a composition for dance artist Jeanette Kotowich. I also researched other seeds of work and created a few mobiles out my ceramic instruments .”
July 26-27 & July 31-Aug 1
“During my Sojourn Residence, I experimented with scoring music for a silent film. It was my first time engaging in this exercise and the opportunity to have time exploring this new direction in composing music was inspiring and fruitful.”
August 2 -8
“During my Sojourn residency, I nurtured a new collaboration with my older brother, Miles Wong and his partner, Elysse Cloma, who are musicians and DJs. We researched the combination of music and dance within improvisation scores that explored our artistic identities as members of the Asian diaspora. I was curious to explore working together in an artistic context might morph our family dynamics and opens space for us to find new ways to communicate, find agency, and express vulnerability. We worked also with Joyce Rosario who faciliated Critical Response Process and this was a wonderful experience!”
August 13 – 14 & September 3 – 4
” During my residence, I brought Ankara fabric and a sewing machine to create masks and accessories that source my Ghanaian roots. People were invited to drop by to witness, and I was able to share my personal inspiration story behind the art that I make. I am acutely aware of the lack of supportive and intentional creative spaces and am thankful there are spaces like Morrow that offer BIPOC creatives a space to create, work and showcase the diversity of Vancouver’s local artists.”
October 12 – 16
Jackson’s residence was in close collaboration with his son Sammy Chien. They interacted with dance and media artists and produced many paintings as well as live-stream events that shared their work with the greater community. They worked with guest dance artists Caroline MacCaull, Juolin Lee and Junjie Wang. They also worked with Joyce Rosario via Critical Response Process.
October 4 – 9
I began the creation of a solo with felted sculptures of parts of the human body that I believe we sexualize, fetishize or feminize through compulsory conditioning. I explore objectification and absurdity using these props for research. On my final day of residence I held intimate one one one performances. These seeds of research have inspired me to keep working on the piece and to develop it for performance and production.
December 6-12
During my week at Morrow for Sojourn, I worked on a quilt-like sculpture using paper-making techniques made with locally gathered plants and green waste, recycled textiles, and found objects. These projects guide my reflections on land use, collaboration, cultural catharsis, waste, adhoc constructions and the nature of manual labour. To honour the important role that a space like Morrow is offering to the creative community, a few guests came to the space to view and have conversations with me about my work and process.
An integral part of SOJOURN was wonderful team or artists who supported by facilitating Critical Response Process, videoing and hosting the space:
Video Artist
Critical Response Process Facilitator
Dance Artist
Host
SOJOURN was made possible through the generous support of The British Columbia Arts Council and City Of Vancouver Cultural Services.
Huge thanks also to Vines Arts Festival for partnering with us!
