Welcome to the New Earth
In winter 2021, Black Hole Club invited audiences to The New Earth for a programme of events that evolved through experiment, process and conversation. Over four days, activities and work responded to a cycle of terrestrial events: from arrival, exploration, trading to rewilding. Each day was a response to a new and unknown environment, the terrain shifting through an exploration of breath, requests for care, detoxing, dreaming, relocation, accomodation, rituals, broadcasts, radio plays, monuments, greyhounds, firebrats, sound, readings and mycelium networks.
Arrival: 3 Dec: 4pm – 8:30pm
Exodus Crooks presented a broadcast Location: unknown from a new environment. The work journaled the first week in this new place whilst reflecting on the priorities of an earth less cold. Joseph Winsborrow invited audiences to join a 1-1 performance Ritual for New Dreaming in which your autonomic selves were invited to reach across the veil so you may dream on, courageously and protected, under the light of the moon. Rosa Postlethwaite performed a recital of terms and conditions and one of what makes up breath. From 5:30pm Roo Dhissou & Larissa Shaw engaged in conversations with ARC: Artist Rehab Club Part I – Drawing from experiences, followed by ARC Part II – Online Speak Easy that took place on the 6th of Dec via zoom.
Trading: 10 Dec 4pm – 8:30pm
Sophie Huckfield presented new video work that explored the impact of automation on surgery, researching its historic and social backdrops. At 5:45pm Leanne O’Connor & Sharon Sutton invited audiences to partcipate in The Homunculi Games, and experience reimagined loopholes of the unequal rental and housing systems. At 7:00pm Post Workers Theatre screened and performed Autohoodening the Rise of Captain Swing. Where just in time for the holidays Captain Swing returned from past worker uprisings in a consciousness-raising custom for the age of A.I. Capitalism. A folk opera, based on worker testimonies and interviews with union organisers, written and produced collectively by Post Workers Theatre and Infinite Opera, with costumes from James Frost and Lottie Wood.
Rewilding: 11 Dec 12-5pm
At 12:00pm Jacob Carter began the day with the sound performance Noon Chorus, using a collection of found audio exploring lunar cycles, sea defences, stone circles and Neolithic monuments. Throughout the day Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh & Alis Oldfield were present with readings & Kühle Wampe with tea.
Networks: 3-11 Dec Online.
Our onsite programme was accompanied by works held online on Black Hole Club’s are.na channel. Eleanor Morgan presented The firebrats’ diary, Exodus Crooks reported back for Location: unknown and Roo and Ris developed ARC: Artists Rehab Club as an online resource with members of Black Hole Club.
On this planet we welcome guests. Names, occupations and star signs will be reassigned on arrival to The New Earth.
Stay tuned for further correspondence.
