other collaborations

Feminist Killjoys Reading Group

rajni — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 06:36:32 +0000

Feminist Killjoys Reading Group

2017

2019

rajni Sun, 30 Dec 2018, 7:36am

producing & curating

research

other collaborations

Feminist Killjoys Reading Group (FKRG) is a project that Rajni began in collaboration with the Western Sydney based theatre company Urban Theatre Projects following an invitation from (then Artistic Director of UTP) Rosie Dennis. FKRG began on Darug land in Blacktown in October 2017 as a drop-in conversational group based around Sara Ahmed’s blog www.feministkilljoys.com. Over 2018-2019 the group grew under Rajni's mentorship, with support from Sasanki Tennakoon. It is an ongoing project that Rajni is very proud to have started.

To find out more please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/feministkilljoysrg/
https://www.facebook.com/FeministKilljoysRG/
https://feministkilljoysrg.tumblr.com/

Core members of FKRG have included: Anneka Shankar, Cynthia Florek, Ellen O’Brien, Nujhat Ahmed, Rhayne Fountain, Saba Shah, Tabitha Prado-Richardson, and Xiaoran Shi.

One Final Act

rajni — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 02:33:43 +0000

One Final Act

2017

rajni Mon, 6 Feb 2017, 3:33am

producing & curating

research

other collaborations

One Final Act

In January 2017, Rajni Shah Projects shared its remaining company funds equally between 19 individuals, who had responded to a call for proposals. This was the final act of the company, which will formally close on March 31, 2017.

There were 37 people who expressed an interest in One Final Act. With the limited funds available, we were only able to offer a small amount of seed money to just over half of those who applied. We prioritised those who had a long relationship with the company and those for whom we felt a small financial boost might enable a creative leap into the unknown.

We have decided that rather than documenting the financial aspect of the project, we would rather document the incredible potential of all the people and projects who gathered around the idea and took the time to write something about how they imagined being involved. The following list therefore documents all of those people who expressed an interest in being part of the project, excluding only those who did not wish to be listed.

We hope that this list will inspire you to share resources and support one another in making and sustaining a creative field that is defined by diversity, possibility, and nurture.

- Rajni Shah and Tracey Low, [4th February, 2017]

One Final Act, in all its possibilities, was:

Amie Taylor developing a performance called ‘Home’

Collin Clay Chace & Juha creating a music video for ‘The Carcass On Your Plate’

Dora Jejey finding a mentor

Ellie Harrison creating an installation for a domestic caravan (Grief Series Part 6)

Elspeth Owen making her own coffin

French & Mottershead furthering development of an app for ‘Afterlife’

Genevieve Maxwell researching liminality and inter somatic experience

Gillie Kleiman creating ‘Recreation’

Hamish MacPherson investigating the relationship between care ethics and choreography

Ilana Mitchell & Rachael Wiseman exploring reverse fundraising initiatives

Instant Dissidence taking ‘Dancing With Strangers: From Calais to England’ to parliament

JEMAGWGA & The Charleston Rhizome Collective recording a conversation about housing

Julia Wilson developing creative spaces for orientation, listening and response

Julie Brixey-Williams, Libby Worth & Bucy McDonald editing Unfold,draw-in

Karen Christopher taking the first step in the next phase

Leo Burtin & Suzie Shrubb taking time to recognise the shifts in their practices and lives since Glorious

Lucille Acevedo-Jones collaborating on a new short film with Abi McLoughlin & Rachel Flowerday

Maddy Costa trying an idea for the first time

Martyn Duffy & Shelley Silas beginning a project about memory, illness, stigma & music

Mary Price O'Connor developing a feminist dance theatre performance practice

Michelle Outram undermining structural inequality using performance-making processes

Naomi Westerman creating a semi-verbatim play about experiences with the benefits system

Natacha Omikemi Bryan birthing a series of rituals to create performance poems

Necia Walker-Lewis making a storybook for children based on Caribbean folk tales

Nohar Lazarovich & Jonathan Rogerson developing the show ‘At One Point’

Rose Biggin & Keir Cooper taking time and space for performance training and development

Sheila Ghelani, Sue Palmer & Sally Rose developing the live talk ‘Common Salt’

Stephen Grew leading a workshop on free improvisation using the voice

Steve Varden developing a series of sculptures called ‘Does he still take SUGAR?’

Wajid Hussain exploring design and layout skills to support an all-women boxing gym in Newcastle

Song

rajni — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 02:11:59 +0000

Song

2016

rajni Tue, 30 Aug 2016, 4:11am

performances

other collaborations

Song was performed by Sheila Ghelani, Omikemi, Kazuko Hohki, Collin Clay-Chase and Emma Frankland as part of Independent Dance's What Remains festival in May 2016. Five monologues were co-written by each of the artists working closely with Rajni, reflecting responses to a series of questions Rajni asked the performers about what it was like to inhabit their particular body during this lifetime.

When on stage, bodies stand in for something; they allow readings to pass through them and to be projected onto them. But they are not still, they are moving. They too are passing through, or being passed through, as we inhabit them during our lifetime. In the end they are vessels carrying stories for a short amount of time, until they break open and the stories pass through to another vessel.

This series of short monologues are scattered throughout the festival. Like a song that is passed between people, each performance echoes the others but is defined by the voice and body of the performer. Together, they attempt to reflect the complex histories of bodies and the simple beauty in noticing someone for a moment.

Image credits: above, documentation of monologues by Stephen Wright Photography; below, publicity image by Meredith Evans

'Song' at What Remains

rajni — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 06:12:48 +0000

'Song' at What Remains rajni Thu, 24 Mar 2016, 7:12am

Holding OPEN with Karen Christopher and Rajni Shah

rajni — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 21:31:10 +0000

Holding OPEN with Karen Christopher and Rajni Shah rajni Thu, 7 Jan 2016, 10:31pm

Lying Fallow expression of interest

rajni — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 18:34:21 +0000

Lying Fallow expression of interest rajni Sun, 17 Aug 2014, 8:34pm

other collaborations

research

The deadline for expressions of interest for Lying Fallow has now passed.

If you have any questions about the project, please use the contact form at www.rajnishah.com.

Thank you!

Lying Fallow questions

rajni — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:29:59 +0000

Lying Fallow questions rajni Sun, 10 Aug 2014, 8:29pm

research

other collaborations

Lying Fallow : questions and answers

Please note - the deadline for expressions of interest for Lying Fallow has now passed. This page remains for information only.

Below are answers to some questions you might have about Lying Fallow, as well as an email address for any other enquiries.

Where has this project come from and who are you?

Lying Fallow is being led by Mary Paterson, Rajni Shah, Susan Sheddan, Tiffany Charrington, and Mark Trezona (facilitator) as part of Rajni Shah Projects. This project builds on conversations begun during Rajni Shah Projects’ 2013 symposium Beyond Glorious: the radical in engaged practices.

After a period of fifteen years making new performance and publications, Rajni Shah Projects is engaging in a period of reflection and exploration in order to find the most appropriate and useful ways in which to move forward as a company. During this time, Rajni is working with Mary Paterson, Susan Sheddan and Tiffany Charrington to explore new company structures that will allow us to support radical new work as well as radically new ways of working. Part of this process involves moving away within our own company from a single-leader patriarchal structure to a more collaborative way of working. Lying Fallow has emerged as part of this new way of working.

Why ‘lying fallow’?

Rajni Shah Projects is in a period of reflection as a company which we feel is akin to that of a field when it lies fallow - seemingly 'doing nothing' but in fact engaging in a deep process of rejuvenation and enriching. However, it is important to us that we do not engage in this process without input from others. After lengthy discussions, we have therefore embarked on a year-long project in which we explore through practice the concept and value of ‘lying fallow’ within the wider context of a society which is frequently driven by product, outcome, and the charade of efficiency.

Why do you care about this?

Click here to read personal statements from each of us about why we think Lying Fallow is important. We’re keen that these statements do not define the event - they are merely our personal reasons for being invested in this project. We are looking forward to adding 26 more statements to these!

What is the timeline?

14th September: Deadline for expressions of interest

Week beginning 22 September: We will aim to contact everyone this week to let them know whether we can accommodate them or not. If we have a high number of applications, this may take us until the end of the month - we’ll go as quickly as we can on this!

Saturday 15 November 2014, 12-5pm: first gathering
Sunday 15 February 2015, 9am-9pm: second gathering
Friday 15 May 2015, 5-10pm: third and final gathering

How much will it cost to attend?

It will not cost anything to attend these events - we want them to be accessible to as wide and diverse a group as possible. If you decide you are interested in attending the events, you will need to fill in an 'expression of interest' form, which includes a section on access needs. We will aim to cover any access costs that might otherwise prevent you from being able to take part, including but not limited to: childcare, personal assistants, travel, and accommodation.

Where will it take place and will it be accessible for me?

The gatherings will all take place in London. We realise that this may present problems for some people. There is a section in the ‘expression of interest’ form where you can let us know about any access needs. This includes requests for costs to cover travel, accommodation, and childcare, as well as letting us know if you have any access needs or have specific requirements around the timing and duration of events. We hope that we will be able to make the project accessible to anyone who is passionate about being there. We will confirm the exact timings and locations of events at the beginning of October, based on the information we have about the people who are attending.

Is it right for me?

If you are drawn to what we’re proposing, and you can commit to attending all three dates, then it’s probably right for you. We’re very keen to attract a wide range of people, and this will inform our process. This mix of people might include scientists, artists, academics, and writers - but we hope that it will include people who can’t or won’t define themselves this clearly too.

But what will actually happen?

Each gathering will be framed by the core questions listed on the invitation, and shaped around the needs and desires of the group we gather together. We will take full responsibility for ensuring that the events are carefully and rigorously hosted and catered for, and that each has a clear structure that invites differing modes of participation including quieter modes such as listening and observation. However, the content of the events will come from the people who attend. There is a huge element of unknown within this project. There will be no keynote speakers, no great networking opportunities, no fame or fortune to be won. Instead, there will be a group of people returning to some core questions in different spaces and seasons. If you’re still interested, we’d love to hear from you.

Do I need to attend all three events? Can I still apply if this is not possible?

Everyone will need to commit to attending all three events, as this is a core principle of the project. If you have specific needs around travel or access that mean you cannot attend during the proposed times, please let us know in your application form and we will take this into account when finalising timings and locations of events.

How will you select participants if more than 30 people are interested?

If more than 30 people want to attend Lying Fallow we will focus on selecting a group that is as diverse as possible. We will then operate a waiting list for those who were interested but to whom we weren't able to offer a place immediately. Please note that we will respond to all submissions by the end of September at the latest.

I am interested! What do I do now?

Please click here to fill in an 'expression of interest' form. You will need to submit the form by 14th September 2014 at nightfall.

I have another question

Please email [email protected]">[email protected] with any further questions, no matter how small.

Lying Fallow

rajni — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 17:53:49 +0000

Lying Fallow

2014

2015

rajni Sun, 10 Aug 2014, 7:53pm

producing & curating

research

other collaborations

Lying Fallow : an invitation (archived)

v
Please note - the deadline for expressions of interest for Lying Fallow has now passed.
This page remains for information only.

This is an invitation from Mary Paterson, Rajni Shah, Susan Sheddan and Tiffany Charrington to join a group of thirty people for a series of conversations called Lying Fallow.

We are sharing this invitation with a range of people from different backgrounds, specialisms, and interests. You may have come across it in a number of different ways. If you are drawn to the project, please read on to find out more about how you might become involved. If you know someone else who you think would be interested, please pass this invitation on.

Lying Fallow will take place over seven months, and will involve a series of three gatherings in different London locations, which will each respond to the following questions:

•    How might alert quietude, not knowing, and listening be seen as spaces of change, rigour, and possibility?
v
•    Where and how might the idea of 'lying fallow' be actualised and given value within contemporary society?
v
•    What becomes possible in those times when it may seem to the outside world as if we are doing or producing nothing?

At each gathering we will return to these same questions within a different frame. This means that while the location, the season, and the light in the room will change, our conversations will become acts of returning. As hosts, Mary, Rajni, Susan, and Tiffany will ensure that the events are carefully and generously held, but the conversations that emerge will be shaped by the people who attend and the ways in which each person wishes to participate.

The dates of the gatherings are:

Saturday 15th November 2014, 12-5pm
Sunday 15th February 2015, 9am-9pm*
Friday 15th May 2015, 5-10pm

*We realise that people who live outside London may need to leave early on this day due to Sunday train schedules, and will be able to accommodate this.

To apply to be a part of Lying Fallow you need to commit to all of these dates. The exact timings and locations of each gathering will be confirmed once the group is formed, though they will all take place in London. We aim to meet any access or financial needs that may otherwise prevent you from attending.

> For further information about the gatherings, or if you have any questions, please click here.
v
> To submit an expression of interest in being a part of Lying Fallow please click here.

Please submit your expression of interest by Sunday 14th September 2014 at nightfall.
We will respond to all submissions by the end of September at the latest.

with kind wishes from,

Mary Paterson, Rajni Shah, Susan Sheddan and Tiffany Charrington
(Lying Fallow organisers, and artistic associates with Rajni Shah Projects, 2014-2015)

Community, Art, Dialogue and Conversation

rajni — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:25:19 +0000

Community, Art, Dialogue and Conversation rajni Mon, 23 Jul 2012, 9:25am

give what you can, take what you need

rajni — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:53:56 +0000

give what you can, take what you need

2008

2009

rajni Sun, 5 Oct 2008, 9:53am

performances

small gifts

other collaborations

give what you can, take what you need is a playful exploration of notions of community and conversation through gift exchange.

Drawing on Rajni's research projects into gift-giving as intervention in public space, this interactive performance is designed to take place in busy communal areas. Passers-by are greeted by a large dinner table, where various other members of the public may be seated at any time. Newcomers are invited to take part by accepting a gift, entering into a relationship with the gathering for as long or as short a time as they choose.

give what you can, take what you need was originally commissioned by Futuresonic 2008 and the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster, and toured in 2008-2009 alongside Dinner with America.

Tour:

Wunderbar festival, Newcastle (Eldon Square, 2009)
Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster (St Nicholas Arcades, 2008)
Futuresonic festival, Manchester (Piccadilly Gardens, 2008)

supported by Futuresonic Festival and the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster