Week 1 in wpZimmer is over! In the first week, Rubin Ajlouni (two days) and Nazanin Bahrami with Aria Baghestani (a full week) joined us in the cozy wpZimmer. It was a great week, a productive week, with good food, snow and lots of familiar faces. With the heaviness of these times, a welcome moment of being together.
About Rubin
Another year, another residency. Those who keep a close eye on our socials & website, may recognise him 👀 Because after his participation in WIPCOOP 2023, Rubin also joined us last year at the Shared Research, Shared Practices Residency, where he focused on rewriting his WIP-performance. This time around Rubin worked towards the fast approaching premiere (12/02⚡️@arenberg) of Rubin — a monologue interweaving excerpts from Jasser by Abdelkader Benali with his own texts.
“A casting becomes a mirror of a larger political narrative, in which Palestine also seems to be auditioning for the right to exist.”
For two days wpZimmer’s Atelier became Rubin’s studio, where he worked together with dramaturge Rashif Jamil El Kaoui.
We are very curious to see this solo grow! We will share more details about Rubin’s Rubin soon. Toitoitoi, Rubin ❤️
About Nazanin with Aria Baghestani (through our partnership with Tatwerk, Berlin)
Last week Nazanin & Aria stayed with us at wpZimmer to work on Nazanin’s WIP: Speech Lapse.
The title comes from the fragmented way victims of political aggression — specifically against protestors or resistors of the oppressive regime in Iran — recall their trauma. How the hurt finds a way to come out, fragmented, with stutters, in lapses. How we can find comfort in lamenting and how our bodies can mourn.
They researched, philosophised and shared their insights with us and a small invited group. Thank you Lila, Sachli (& Rumi for the energy), Enrica, Gosie for helping us create a safe space.
To end the residency we attended Sachli Gholamalizad GIRLS OF THE IRANIAN DIASPORA: REIMAGINING JOY, RAGE & THE POLITICS OF BEAUTY; an evening filled with (lecture) performances at MoMu curated by Sachli. It was a beautiful night; a very much needed night of coming together in these difficult times. It embodied the importance of connecting (irl); and it highlighted the importance of making space for artists in diaspora to exchange their experiences, knowledge, strength and vulnerability. We all found hope and healing in this togetherness.
Nazanin, Aria, Sachli, strong people of Iran, you are in our thoughts <3
About MAP x wpZimmer
We as an organization are also officially in residence in wpZimmer, accompanied by Enrica Camporesi and her beautiful drawings. We take a few moments each week to question our operation, brainstorm and chart new courses. The vibrant energy here has left us completely inspired, but admittedly sometimes a little distracted 😉 We look forward to what new insights and ideas the coming weeks will bring. Keep you posted! Merci for the hospitality wpZimmer ❤️
