Solo Residency: 300 Micro-fictions
Amaara Raheem
20 May–6 Jun 2020
… I don’t know everything is so strange right now this came out of the blue and I said yes, YES wholeheartedly because it seemed like a gift; a place to go that was other than my small apartment into the city again and into this building again which I haven’t really visited since 1996; I remember climbing up onto the roof then and kissing a boy up there of course we can’t go up there now something about security something about cameras but what about kissing on rooftops what about dancing and using the sky; I’m writing and resting and walking and inviting people in and closing the door and shivering in the cold and remembering who I was once and might be again and I’m thinking about building(s), about structure(s), about the relationship between movement and writing, about constructing ground(s), about …
With the gallery spaces closed for a much of 2020, Blindside initiated a series of on- and off-site solo residency projects. Artists included Anna Dunnill, MJ Flamiano, Jessie Gall, Simone Nelson, Mira Oosterweghel, Amaara Raheem, Ella Sowinska, Ivey Wawn, Benjamin Woods, Elke Varga, Yusi Zang.
Amaara Raheem was part of PIVOT, a discussion between artists / arts organisations who have had to pivot their art practice to come up with alternative creative solutions in-light of changing opportunities at this time.
This program takes place on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded - this land is stolen land. We pay respects to Wurundjeri Elders, past, present and emerging, to the Elders from other communities and to any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders who might encounter or participate in the program.
Amaara Raheem is a choreographer and performer. Her work takes multiple forms including performance, video, installation, text and sound. Recently Amaara was awarded a Responsive Residency (Critical Path, 2021) with dancer Preethi Athreya (Chennai) to investigate notions of inheritance. Amaara co-curates Now Pieces (Dancehouse, 2021), a regular platform for improvised performance and Organising For Change (Dance Art Foundation, 2021), a series of online events with and for artists and community organisers. Amaara sits on the Artistic Advisory Group for Chunky Move and Next Wave.