A Space To Be Complete

Whether you've already seen Kimsooja's To Breathe exhibition or it's on your to-do list, don't miss her return to Amsterdam for Artist Talk: Kimsooja. In this exclusive in-depth conversation, Kimsooja will discuss her work and the ideas that inspired the Oude Kerk exhibition. Hear firsthand how she wove together Korean traditions and donated clothing to explore themes of "identity, transition, and the connection between the earthly and the divine." After the talk, the exhibition will be available for viewing so that you have the opportunity to see it again in a fresh light.

Featured Image: Photo by Jonas Schöne on Unsplash

Author and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” And, in the latest work Untitled 14 KM, Moroccan artist Youness Atbane explores what the Western world sees when it looks at African-Arab modern art. Centred around an attempt to organise a modern art exhibition, the multimedia performance leads us through “negotiations, conflicts, discomfort, humorous moments, but above all, questions about the definition of African-Arab identity in the world of modern art.” Check out this work and other performances that are part of the ongoing Afrovibes Festival.

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Experience it this Thursday when Clarice Gargard presents Salon Verité - Under the Dragon Blood Tree, a work in progress piece inspired by the centuries long phenomenon of salons as spaces for conversation. It promises to be an evening of "traditional African storytelling blend[ed] with modern narrative forms, art, and ritual to discover the truths hidden within us."

Featured Image: Photo by Caleb Toranzo on Unsplash

There are two types of Uno players. People who stack wild cards and people who don’t know how to play Uno 😅 If you’re looking for “an evening full of fun, competition, and relaxation with the best board and card games,” then swing by the third annual Ye Bo Game game night this Friday. There will be a wide variety of table games to play, on stage challenges to do, and other surprises in a cozy atmosphere for game enthusiasts of all skill levels.

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Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the Humans of Film Festival at Lab111 “gives space to voices often underrepresented in the film world: filmmakers of colour, queer perspectives, and other stories outside the mainstream.” Through films, performances, and workshops, you are invited to see global issues through the lens of personal stories. Check out some of this year's films exploring this year's theme of Intergenerational | Then, Now, and Later.

Featured Image: Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

In writing about history, author Howard Zinn describes a connection between the present and the past. “Anything [we] do, however small, becomes part of a much larger sort of flow of energy.” This link between personal history and collective action is the focus of the A Queer Practice: film and photography workshop. Led by queer activist artists JeanPaul Paula and Rafik Opti, the workshop "will explore the power of queer representation on the big screen" and how to archive "your own images, voices and memories." Participants will then work together to combine their contributions into "a digital queer film archive, as a collective act of preservation and recognition." Protect your history, protect our histories.

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Third Circles' embrace of fluidity draws us to artists like Efe Erdem and his new project: DeDeXgrande. Through over a decade of experience, Erdem "has honed his craft as a session musician, arranger, composer, and live performer, mastering a variety of instruments including trombone, trumpet, piano, and percussion." His latest project DeDeXgrande combines electronic rhythms with live musical instruments for a dynamic sonic adventure inspired by Middle Eastern and African folk music. Hear it live this Friday at Melkweg RADAR!

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John Madu first encountered the works of Vincent Van Gogh through a wall calendar that hung in his family's home when he was growing up in Lagos. Today, this internationally renowned self taught multidisciplinary artist is the first African artist to exhibit in the Van Gogh Museum. In Van Gogh x John Madu: Paint Your Path, Madu enters into "an artistic dialogue that opens up new perspectives" on themes of identity and cultural intercourse. The exhibition is on display until 7 September so be sure to see it before time runs out!

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Here at Third Circles, we are big fans of Summer Dance Forever, the annual festival that celebrates music, dance and hip-hop culture. The festival program is wide-ranging from battles to workshops to performances. If you want to enter this year's battles, preselections start on Tuesday. Still thinking about it? Then check out the Are You Ready for the Stage? to hear a panel of artists "share their perspectives on what it means to make and present hip hop dance as a performing art."

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There are only a couple weeks left to see the Legacies of Identity: Queer Histories of Third Genders exhibition at Melkweg. A collaboration between Pride Expo and Melkweg expo, this exhibition "offers a look into LGBTQIA+ communities from around the world that embrace third and trans genders." The exhibition centres cultures which are often overlooked in conversations about the diversity of gender expression. And sharing these centuries-old traditions is an urgent and affirming reminder that "queer people have always, and will always, exist."

Featured Image: Photo by Gui França on Unsplash