This September, we’re delighted to welcome back Karul Projects to HOTA for their production SILENCE.
Started by Thomas E.S. Kelly and Taree Sansbury in 2017, Karul Projects is a performing arts company that tells stories of Indigenous knowledge and its relevance and responsibility in modern (and future) Australia’s identity.
Karul, a Yugambeh word meaning ‘Everything’, was chosen to reflect the company’s commitment to doing everything it can to strengthen and empower the cultural knowledge of the land so future generations of any background can continue to learn and enjoy from Aboriginal Australia’s rich heritage.
Their production of SILENCE has already begun igniting rich conversations wherever it goes.
First developed at HOTA as part of our 2019 Creative Development program, the work previously been presented as part of Brisbane Festival, and is now on a wider regional tour.
Images by Mick Richards
We sat down with choreographer, writer and performer Thomas E.S. Kelly to talk about the work.
‘Silence is a contemporary dance work that explores the notion of a treaty in response to Australia’s relationship with its First Nations people and what a treaty could bring to First Nations Australia, or the creation of another agreement and conversation.
‘In this country, in Australia, since the first ships came, the treaty conversation has not properly been had. We’re the only Commonwealth country that has never had one.
‘It became a show saying, we need to have meaningful conversations about how we repair the relationship between First Nations Australia, the sovereign people of this land, and the colonial government that has been established over the past 250 years, because right now... we are not equal.
‘You have an opportunity to see something you haven’t seen before because the movement style, the dance technique, is grounded in the oldest living culture that this planet currently has.
We’re an emerging company. We’re not stopping there. We are looking at creating a network that gives the opportunities to tell our stories both at our local level, inside of our communities on the national level, and on the international level, by showcasing the strength and the tenacity that we have here, that we’ve been fighting with.’
And what does it mean to have the show coming back to the Gold Coast?
'We premiered the work in 2020 and it was always going to be presented at HOTA but then COVID, reduced audiences, lockdowns and then everything stopped as we all know. So to be able to kick off the Queensland tour 2 years later and to finally bring the work home is very surreal!
‘This work was 4 years in the making and to have seeded it with creative developments on the Gold Coast, with support from HOTA and City of Gold Coast, since relocating back to Queensland in 2018 is exciting to say the least.
‘To be able to show my community, Karul’s largest work to date, at this beautiful venue, I’m just really proud and it will be worth the wait.’
#Also featuring Thomas E.S. Kelly
#Silence plays at HOTA on 31 Aug-1 Sept
Read more about the show and how to book tickets.
Acknowledgments
SILENCE has been produced by BlakDance as part of Performing Country, and commissioned by BlakDance, HOTA Home of the Arts, City of Gold Coast, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Brisbane Festival. The premiere of SILENCE received financial assistance from the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Images by ArtWork Agency
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