Patriotic Karaoke - a participatory workshop
This two-hour workshop aims to create a fun and experiential container for processing fascist and nationalist tendencies in our cultural upbringing.
As artists that grew up in Israel, Syria under Assad's regime, and the German Democratic Republic, we learned, sang, and enjoyed many songs with patriotic, nationalistic, and chauvinistic meanings. Even though we have grown to deeply criticize and resent these ideologies, the music is still ingrained in our bodies. These rhythms still move us.
Should we refrain from singing these songs? Or can we sing them in a different context—one that allows us to witness and process their explosive function while still enjoying their familiar rhythms?
This event is an experiment. We are curious what happens when patriotic songs are performed in a different context—one that allows us to witness and process their cultural and political functions while still enjoying their familiar rhythms.
We invite you to come and experiment with us.
Come as a viewer, audience member, Mitsänger*in, or performer.
We would appreciate you registering to this event so we know how many people to expect.
You are also welcome to make up new words to your favorit patriotic song!
If you are interested in performing a song during the event, please fill out this form so we can prepare your playback: https://forms.gle/xyFpLNRYR6zyrtRQ6
We created this event out of curiosity and out of a wish to witness and be witnessed as cultural archives—to bring our internal music into the public space.
Please come with an open mind and a willingness to experience a wide range of emotions: joy, pleasure, disgust, cringe, anger, and contempt.
After each song, we will open the space for sharing and reflection so that we can learn together about the impact these songs have on us and on our audiences.
We look forward to meeting you!
This workshop is part of our work within the All the Rivers residency at Ausland. To read more about the residency and the project, please visit:
https://www.ausland.berlin/event/all-the-rivers-residency-pomegranate-collective