DIY: 2017 – Sara Zaltash: Approaches to Embodied Islam

A curious, performative invitation towards embodied practices of the Islamic faith, incorporating the tacit performative canon of Islam and interrogating the absence of Islam in Live Art

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Project summary

A three-day workshop for Live Artists and related practitioners to approach embodied practices of Islamic faith. A safe space for performative curiosity and investigation. Suitable for any belief system, including secularism. The workshop will include attendance to Jummah/Friday Prayers, discussion and devising exercises exploring daily prayer (salah), call-to-prayer (azan), speech-act texts of the Quran (sura), Quranic recitation (taghbir), Sufi whirling, the flagellation rituals of Shiite Ashura, and perspectives on Live Art from Muslims, leading towards a private showing for invited individuals and groups. 

How to apply

Please apply via the link below. The form requires some personal details, plus short statements on your practice, interest in fath, and previous work/training. This is asked to ensure a well-balanced group that offers a range of different intersections between Islam and other social, biological and performed identities. 

Participants will be: confident in the way they use their voices, bodies, thoughts and ideas when creating devised work; of any age, gender and physical ability; open-minded and wanting to approach, explore and curiously interrogate some of the embodied practices of Islam; interested in the intersections of Islamic practice and performance practice; interested in embodied performance practices and their roots in spiritual practice; interested in exploring the positionality of faith within Live Art practice; involved in programming, documenting or producing Live Art and wanting to grow sensitivity towards the subject; have some awareness of Islamic practice, though this is not necessary; potentially developing work in relation to Islam.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Dates, times and location

Dates: Fri 6 to Sun 8 Oct 2017
Location: London

The artist

Sara Zaltash is a British-Iranian artist and Schumacher Institute Fellow evolving political, philosophical and spiritual realities. She is disarmingly personable, enchantingly direct and prone to radicalism. Out of popular movements, digital lives and ancient practices, Sara seeks frontiers, pioneers and revolutions.
“Zaltash is electrifying… See her if you can.” – The Guardian

If you have questions about this project, please contact Sara.

This DIY is supported by Tate (Early Years and Family programme).