3.30pm-5.30pm 

A Participatory Panel Discussion

Hi Ching + Ketna Patel + Yuldosh Juraboev
Facilitated by Kaleya Baxe

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1. How should post Brexit Britain look at ‘Multiculturalism’? 

2.  What is it like to be an Asian Artist in London? 

3. The term ‘brown' represents Asians in London. Is it just colour or a term? 

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Ketna Patel :

Ketna is a highly prolific British-Indian multi media artist. Born in East Africa, educated in UK, and based in South East Asia + India for the last twenty five years, she uses her training in Design and Architecture to map observations gleaned from her compulsive travels onto an existentialist, yet to be defined new global anthropology that is fast emerging. Having recently transplanted her studio from Singapore to two 'travelling studios' in the UK and India, she describes herself as being deeply tri-cultural; grounded in an evolving human identity beyond the rapidly evaporating boundaries of culture, nationality and geography. She believes that for most artists, there is no divide between their ‘private’ life and their ‘professional’ output. All realizations and insights gleaned from inter-personal relationships, travels, media etc can be transmuted into a heightened awareness / expression of where human society is at today, and possibly where it may be heading towards....

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Ketna Patel’s artwork challenges our prejudices and pretensions about art, in much the same way that early Western Pop artists did. “Using different cultures and historical events, I juxtapose mythological characters, Gods, Political icons and the common man on the same canvas. This is a romance between the old and the new, once prohibited by stringent cultural, political, and class boundaries that have hemmed in most of us”.
 

Hi Ching :
 

Hi Ching is a multidisciplinary artist who trained at the Royal Ballet School and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Currently based in Thurrock, in association with AAAHA and in partnership with Thurrock Council, he is artistic director of three public events – Thurrock Festival, TIC Film Festival and Grays Christmas Lights Switch On. He focuses on balancing diversity and inclusivity in these events. Previously, he was artistic director of SEA ArtsFest, River Cultures and FIPA. His numerous heritage projects, particularly in oral history, include Chinese Labour Corps, Cambodian Recollections, Beyond the Gurkhas and Limehouse Chinatown. 

 

His acting credits range from drama to comedy with appearances on TV, film, stage and radio. He was winner of a national short story competition in the UK, and awarded the Best Composition, 2nd and 3rd prizes over three years at the Fo Guang Sound of the Human World Music Competition in Taiwan. 

 

Born in London, he was brought up in Singapore and has worked internationally but mainly in Britain.

 

Yuldosh Juraboev :
 

Yuldosh founded ORZU Arts, the first Central Asian Theatre Company in Europe. Their first show, which he wrote and directed was  Dervish  which premiered at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in London in March 2012 and received excellent four star critical reviews.

He participated at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013 with a powerful new one-man theatre piece Mejnun created for him in Uzbekistan by internationally celebrated director Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli. In 2016 Yuldosh founded the Open Central Asia International arts festival in London, in its first year the festival hosted visual art groups from 12 countries. 

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Through out the year Yuldosh and Orzu Arts theatre travel around Europe and Asia promoting CA arts and culture and selecting interesting unique works for the London festival. Yuldosh’s main aim is to bring more Central Asian writers and authors work to Europe and to create a cultural bridge between West and East.

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www.orzuarts.org /

www.orzuartsfestival.co.uk

6pm-7pm

Deep Chat With Your Tribe

Mendü

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As part of a supportive community, Mendü  will take you on a journey of transition, healing and self exploration that will connect you to yourself and others and give you the tools you need moving forward - empowered, with your tribe. In this therapeutic experience, let go of things that are weighing you down and leave feeling light as we explore emotional wellness through healing activities.

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Mendü is a self-care initiative for people of colour by people of colour. We believe the best way of getting more people to engage in therapeutic exercises is to take away everything that made therapy unappealing and just leave the good bits: namely, the bits that actually make you feel good!

 

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