PuSh Festival

Join Squamish cultural leader Xwechtaal (Dennis Joseph) and Scottish-Canadian multidisciplinary artist Claire Love Wilson as they walk and sing together at Sen̓áḵw. This journey brings you to the edge of what is presently known as Kitsilano, on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations, where you can listen alongside Claire as Xwechtaal shares stories of the land, his grandfather, and his visions for the future of Sen̓áḵw.

Audio editing by Ashley Daniel Foot

A creative producer sits between the creative process and the operational process in a project, orchestrating ideas, resources, and people to turn the seed of an idea into reality. Creative producers shape how a work is realized, which often impacts how the work is experienced. While it can be a difficult role to define, the Digital Cultures Research Centre (UK) describes it as one that combines attention to detail with an ability to see the big picture and make connections between the two, realizing the vision of a project and making it possible for a creative team to achieve their best. In this panel discussion, Rob Thomson (Full Circle: First Nations Performance and the Talking Stick Festival), Bek Berger (New Theatre Institute of Latvia and International Festival of Contemporary Performance, Homo Novus), and Anthony Gray (Fuel Theatre) share how they got into producing and what they’ve learned along the way. Moderated by Gabrielle Martin (PuSh Festival).

This panel brings together performance curators who are leading initiatives in supporting artistic practice, from establishing co-production networks to creating hubs of exchange; from hosting residencies and taking on production risk to sharing curation, and more. In conversation, these curators will share their perspectives on the role of presenters within the ecosystems of local and international artistic communities. Speakers include Martine Dennewald (Festival TransAmériques, Canada), Quito Tembe (International Contemporary Dance Platform KINANI, Mozambique), Erin Boberg  (Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, USA), Daniel Blanga Gubbay (KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS, Belgium), and Fernando Zugno (Porto Alegre em Cena, Brazil). Moderated by Gabrielle Martin (PuSh Festival).

Moderated by Pedro Chamale of rice & beans theatre, this panel discussion features artists versed in multilingual storytelling. Drawing from rice & beans’ DBLSPKresearch on what is lost and gained in translation, the conversation will examine the relationship between language and culture within performance. Speakers Mayumi Yoshida, Johnny Wu, Howard Dai and Carmela Sison will be joined by Laurence Dauphinais and Nancy Saunders of Aalaapi. Part of the 2022 PuSh program, Aalaapi integrates English, French and Inuktitut in its reflection on the relative importance of speech within cultures. From their unique perspectives, these artists will share their insights on the dramaturgy and implications of multilingual creation.

This panel discussion brings together local, national and international artists who have practice in “concept touring” or performance projects where the final product is a process that tours. Moderated by Ryan Tacata, the conversation will encompass the systems artists have devised to create processes that result in consistent products, even as a given team may be entirely different from locale to locale; where the balance is between allowing locals to input in a way that meaningfully shapes the piece while still maintaining quality control; what the difference is between Process Touring and a franchise; and how to avoid the work becoming formulaic. Speakers include: Milton Lim (Hong Kong Exile, culturecapital), Patrick Blenkarn (Guilty by Association, culturecapital), Lisa Marie DiLiberto (Theatre Direct), Darren O’Donnell (Mammalian Diving Reflex), Nassim Soleimanpour (Nassim Soleimanpour Productions), and Maiko Yamamoto (Theatre Replacement).

Listen in while old friends, interdisciplinary artist and composer Ruby Singh, and PuSh’s director of Programming Gabrielle Martin, stroll around their old East Van stomping grounds at Trout Lake. 

The conversation begins with revelations about the youthful duo meeting at a poetry slam; a friendship which extended into adventures in fire dancing at the lost and lamented Illuminares Festival – one of the most popular festivals in Vancouver, until its untimely demise in 2013. This eclectic arts background and love of performing has informed both Singh and Martin’s careers since. As they traverse the muddy path around the lake on this winter walk, Singh talks about his interdisciplinary work, ambi-sonic installations and the inception and evolution of his work Vox.Infold into the compelling and exhilarating sound production it is today. 

PuSh Festival presents Vox.Infold from January 20-30 at Lobe Studio.

Brave the weather alongside PuSh’s Gabrielle Martin and Theatre Replacement’s James Long as they defy the elements on a stormy day to take a stroll around historic Strathcona; or have a listen to this fascinating conversation from your sofa, either way, it’s an interesting ride. Beginning at the Russian Hall, James recounts the backstory behind the Soviet film reels that were discovered in an old closet next to the Russian language classroom which now serves as the Theatre Replacement office and studio. These films, sent between the 1950s and the 70s, are an upbeat promotional campaign for The Soviet Union intended to lure back Russians who had fled Stalin, and they are the inspiration for Theatre Replacement’s newest work, Do you mind if I sit here? Other topics include the gentrification and cultural history of the neighbourhood, explored while walking in some very Vancouver weather. Do you mind if I sit here? Will be performed at The Russian Hall January 26-29 as part of the PuSh Festival.

In a journey that begins on Victoria Drive, Anais West uses story and song to transport you to her mother’s homeland, Poland. From a punk concert in Praga to the bloc apartments of Communist Gdansk, she searches for queer belonging and family history. The through-line is a protest anthem, “Rota,” written by lesbian Polish poet Maria Konopnicka and then re-appropriated through the centuries by revolutionaries, nationalists, and now queer punks.

The songs and narration are part of Underground Absolute Fiction, a docu-fantasy film Anais has been writing and developing with the support of the Canada Council, the BC Arts Council, the frank theatre, Rumble Theatre and the Queer Arts Festival.

Credits:

Text by Anais West

Musical credits:

“Przemoc, twoja przemoc”

Recording, Mixing and Mastering: Piotr Wieczorek

“Rota”

Audio credits:

Audio edited by Ashley Daniel Foot

“I am here. I am now. I am grateful.” Those soothing words mark the beginning of a journey through Pacific Spirit Park with musician, writer, and self-described “natural-born clown” KhattieQ. As the artist moves through the entrance and into the forest, the ambient wash of traffic noise recedes and the sounds become fewer, softer, and more soothing, neatly complementing her gentle voice. Full of happy musings and punctuated by KhattieQ’s rousing Latinx music, this Walk is perfect for a beautiful late summer day.

Jean Abreu and Naishi Wang are the dance artists behind Deciphers, currently being created as part of the PuSh In Development program supported by CDm2 Lightworks. Here, they invite you to join them in the “nowhere space” of the digital world, as they walk through their own nighttime spaces (one in London, the other in Toronto) while sharing the third, and most crucial, location with the listener. Set against a backdrop of piano, synth chords, and experimental vocals, this a haunting and moody excursion.