The Migrant Project

So what do you make of me?

shakthi — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:31:40 +0000

A poem by Raj Arumugam
Visit his website

What do you make of me
that you issue me these letters and forms
and make me wait endlessly and give
good circumspect chatter if I ask what I
should do next?
What secret conclusions
form the basis of your dealings?
What do you intend to make of me?
Perhaps you visualize my future as a
mute tight-lipped nodding Indian
in his convenience store,
neatly put out in the
quietest lane
of a distant suburb. Pleasant and agreeable
you will have me, smiling and ready to serve,
immobile at the counter, briskly walking
to the shelves to serve you
when you deign to come on an odd
shopping spree
to get exotic spices and newly-heard of condiments
that you will probably store for long in
your kitchen and throw away anyway.
You will not have me out of your
collection of stereotypes, will you?
No, I shall not allow you to
insinuate me into worthlessness
with your cold and bureaucratic silences
and ready-made answers
for I know my worth
as you yours.

Press for This City is a Body (Show), 2007

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:50:36 +0000

Hyde Park Barracks Museum, 2007.

City Weekly Interview – Josie Gagliano
SX Editorial
MX Preview – Karina Dunger
InnerWestern Courier Preview – Rashell Habib
Drum Media Interview – Jack Tregonig

Photos from Drifting and Grounded, 2006

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:10:50 +0000

In various rehearsal rooms and venues in inner-city Sydney.
by Steven Papadakis

Photos from This City is a Body (Show)

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:09:00 +0000

by Steven Papadakis
Hyde Park Barracks Museum, 2007.

This City is a Body Artwork

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:53:23 +0000

by Aimee Falzon

Used in both the final performance and the film, This City is a Body is a painting of Sydney and its stories; simultaneously a map of the city and a human body.

This is a washed out digital version of the work – you have to visit the CuriousWorks’ offices to see the real 3D thing in action!

Private Screening of This City is a Body: The Migrant Project Film

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:45:50 +0000

We had an intimate, private screening of the film work in late 2009 with participants and colleagues from the CuriousWorks community.

It was an amazing night, with delicious curries from Shakthi’s mum, Anandavalli – and the film had a brilliant reception.

Nangami: The Villawood Koori Kids Film

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:29:09 +0000

Lonsvale, 2007.

Local Press:
Fairfield City Champion Community Preview – Anita Maglicic & Domenica Acitelli

This film was made by the Villawood Koori Kids with the support of CuriousWorks as trainers, mentors and facilitators. Their work was part of The Migrant Project performances and is part of This City is a Body: The Migrant Project Film.

Find more videos like this on All Around You

Images from the shoot:

Public Letter After Final Show

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:13:56 +0000

by Shakthi

For the first time in a long time, we can take a breath.

Our sold-out season of This City is a Body at the Hyde Park Barracks Museum is over – and we can honestly state that CuriousWorks has never done something which generated so much stunning, positive feedback from so many different people before.

It’s not often you get to put on a show in one of Sydney’s oldest and most beautiful buildings – a show that challenges and celebrates what the city is built on. It’s even more rare to be able to share your creations with so many different, appreciative people from across the city – from Koori aunties to recent migrants to attentive groups of eastern suburbs school kids.

One punter even wrote to the organisers of the Sydney Writer’s Festival, stating that we’d set such a high standard, he was worried the rest of his festival tickets might be a let down!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the final installment of The Migrant Project such a success – especially the Historic Houses Trust for being open to bringing the cultures and traditions of many Sydneysiders into one of the city’s most beautiful spaces. It means a great deal to us and was the perfect final installment to our live outings.

Mahesh’s Letter to SMH

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:12:53 +0000

2006.

India Link Review – Grounded, 2006

shakthi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:11:02 +0000

Seymour Centre, 2006.

by Arvijit Sarkar