In our western society, relaxation and rest are a luxuries reserved for the privileged and rich. Recent studies have shown that the distribution of rest is determined by race, with people of color regularly getting less sleep than white people. Our culture has required that people of color present themselves as extraordinary performers, athletes, or entertainers in order to exist in the public realm.
Choir of the Slain (Part XX) is the second installment of the eponymous evening-length opera created by Navild Acosta and Fannie Sosa: A live song and dance activation from bed. The performance plays with multiplicitous states of being idle. Protesting the power relations of the night, which deprive people of color of rest, Sosa and Acosta create a choir, soothe and still waters, animating lace front units, bedroom negligé and other gender and sound practices.
NOTICE Due to a COVID-19 precaution, the two performances of Choir of the Slain on October 13 + 14 unfortunately had to be cancelled. Already purchased online-tickets will be automatically refunded by our ticket provider Reservix. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. We will make up for the event on Friday, October 16 as a free livestream online.
Acclaimed scholar and Multi-Award winner FANNIE SOSA is an internationally applauded interdisciplinary artist and activist. Texts by Fannie Sosa include A White Institutions Guide For Welcoming Artists Of Color And Their Audiences, Pleasurable MOONStruation, The Origins Of Patriarchy and Bio-Hack is Black. Their performance work has been produced by Tate Modern, Matadero Madrid, and Wiener Festwochen. Through their social justice work, Sosa has provided professional development trainings and consultancy for Performance Space New York, Mousonturm and Tate Modern.
NAVILD ACOSTA is a Creative Capital Artist, Disability Futures Fellow and an internationally acclaimed artist and activist based in Berlin. Being transgender, queer and black-dominican has inspired his community based work. Navild’s written work is featured in Performance Journal, VICE, Brooklyn Magazine, Apogee Journal, BOMB Magazine. Navild’s performance works have debuted at Matadero Madrid, Tate Modern, Tanz im August and Kunst-Werke Institut, Wiener Festwochen, The David Roberts Art Foundation, The Kimmel Center, MOMA PS1, Studio Museum, New Museum. Navild has collaborated with Alicia Keys, Fannie Sosa, BEARCAT, Lyle Ashton-Harris & Ralph Lemon.
BY AND WITH Navild Acosta, Fannie Sosa performers Yvette Robertson, Maya Williams
Choir of the Slain (XX) is a production by Navild Acosta and Fannie Sosa in cooperation with SOPHIENSÆLE. Funded by Creative Capital and USA Artists Disability Futures Fund. The guest performance is Berlin is funded by the Capital Cultural Fund within the framework of the festival Risk and Resilience. With friendly support of Performance Space New York. Media partner: taz. die tageszeitung.