14 January 2010

Kihara’s practice often develops platforms for inter-cultural discussion, by bringing together two musical or dance groups from different cultural backgrounds to develop performances in public spaces.

SHIGEYUKI KIHARA
TALANOA: WALK THE TALK #V PERFORMANCE
14 JANUARY, DIXON STREET MALL, CHINATOWN

Shigeyuki Kihara is a Japanese/Samoan artist based in New Zealand. Kihara recently embarked on an ambitious set of performances based on a Samoan concept of Talanoa which roughly translates as “to chat or converse” and is also a practice of talking through matters of cultural and social importance. Kihara’s Talanoa series develops a platform for inter-cultural discussion, by bringing together two musical or dance groups from different cultural backgrounds. For Edge of Elsewhere, Kihara was commissioned by 4A to develop her fifth Talanoa: Walk the Talk performance on Dixon St, Chinatown working with local Chinese and Pacific Island communities.

Photo credit:
Talanoa: Walk the Talk #V, Sydney Cook Island Dance Group and the Australian Yau Kung Mun Association. Courtesy the artist. Commissioned by 4A