Arthub Favorite: Week 95

iPANDA First Panel Discussion Review: Gender Takes Center Stage

On April 10, 2018, iPANDA’s first offline event has been successfully host in NEXTMIXING on Yuyuan Road, dressing the topic of gender identity and contemporary dance. As a member of iPANDA, here we are sharing some highlights of the panel talk.

What does it mean to “perform gender” in our daily life? How does the body “talk” on stage? How are gender norms changing around the world? And what role can performing arts play in this change?

In recent years, contemporary dance in Italy has been flourishing through both the emergence of new talents and the success of established artists. This new Renaissance, built on structural reforms, has relaunched Italy as an incubator for creativity on the international scene. This lecture takes us on anintriguing voyage showcasing some of the young protagonists of this new phase.

A generation of artists under-35 that, through their unique language and style, explores the theme of gender at large. From Alessandro Sciarroni’s finesse to Silvia Gribaudi’s irony, from Giorgia Nadin’s investigations of the feminine to Chiara Bersani’s psychological subtlety, from Francesca Foscarini’s energetic performances to Riccardo Buscarini’s masterful composition.

A feast for the eyes and the soul that, through images and clips from their works, displays the secrets behind their critical and box-office success. And an overview on the springboard that launched them: GenderBender, the international Festival that for 15 editions has introduced new imagery related to gender identities, sexual orientations and bodily representations.

About the Lecturer

Daniele Del Pozzo, graduated in letters and philosophy from the University of Bologna, Daniele is a curator, producer and event organizer. Active in the cultural scene of central Italy, in the 1980s he founded and led the Libera Universita’ Omosessuale, a free platform aimed at facilitating the dialogue on gay and lesbian culture and identity. In the following years he curated film festivals and cultural programs for the municipalities of Bologna and Ancona. Since 2005 Daniele is also curator of the summer cultural event program “bè bolognaestate” and in 2008 has curated “Body Double”, selection of documentaries for the International Photography week in Reggio Emilia.

Curated by: FabrizioMassini
Produced by: Ibsen International
Supported by: iPANDA + NEXTMIXING （Shanghai session）/ Italian Institute of Culture – Beijing, , XiaoZhong Bookstore (Beijing session) / Consulate General of Italy in Guangzhou, Ergao Dance Production Group (Guangzhou session)

What is iPANDA?

i_ Independent
P_ Performance
A_ Artivists
N_ Network
D_ Development
A_ Action

iPANDA was established on 2018 April 10th, is an action focusing on China’s independent performance to build up the internal network and improve the development to go further to international field.

It is founded by artists collective, and involves independent performance artists, art institutes, platforms and different art fields to consolidate all resource to improve more possibilities on collaboration and development.

Fellowship

Blue Zone Independent creators
The members in blue zone should be independent performance makers, who have done or plan to focus on independent performance field as clear target. It should include but not limit on dance theater, physical theater, live art, music theater, cyber theater and more experimental and new pioneer performance art forms. The platform aims to help young artists (psychological age) as a clear direction for the development.

Red Zone Presenters + Resource partners
The red zone includes different presenters who provide project resource, platform, funding and space etc. from art festival, association, art council, agency, residence project or art space. The fellowships in iPANDA aim to communicate and open more possibility on the collaboration with independent artists, who improve positive development on performance and artists’ growing.

Yellow Zone Mentors + Collaborators + Critics/researchers
Mentors in independent performance field also other art fields, who are glad to share experience and knowledge to help artists in difference typical cases or issues. Collaborators who work on performance fields or interdisciplinary fields have strong interest to try the collaboration with performance artists. Critics and researchers who share information and discuss in typical topic are happy to support and improve the performance art environment and historic recording.

Event Forms

Termly meeting
Topic for discussion are organized by iPANDA as a regular form to go deeper direction on performance study and investigation, which depends on members’ sharing and communication to resolve each typical issue and improve practical development in different cases.

International platforms presentation and recommendation
iPANDA consolidates fellowships’ international network resource to present and recommend to more independent artists who are willing to build up the collaboration possibility. Periodically introduce some international platform to members.

Aperiodic performance show and discussion
According to the members’ request, iPANDA will organize artists’ work show case, working on progress, or exhibition to build up a target discussion in different cases, which improves artists creation work and also build up the communication in fellowship circles.

Internal workshops
Members can organize workshops to help each other learning, understanding and discussion. An internal study form refreshes each creation way and concept to improve the production of independent performance practically.