WESTERN FRONT – Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel

Description:

While in residence, Bhenji Ra was joined by collaborator Tati au Miel to present an open rehearsal of a performance in progress. The showing accompanied the presentation of Ra’s new moving image commission Biraddali Dancing on the Horizon, which featured an original score by au Miel. Throughout the evening, audience members were invited to collaborate in the making of a sonic environment where ritual, attention, and play coalesced.

The showing began in Western Front’s foyer where an altar was arranged on the floor with materials collected over the course of Ra and au Miel’s residency in Vancouver. Audience members were offered clamshells and marigolds before joining a short procession scored by amplified field recordings and a three-part rhythm played on bamboo buzzers by audience volunteers. Carrying a statue of a saint wrapped in banana leaves, Ra led the audience on a route that circled the building and ended in the Grand Luxe Hall where a second altar was arranged at the centre of the space. Performing in the round, au Miel played a live electronic set that incorporated flutes, bells, chimes, shakers, and contact microphones.

A beam of red light spilled into the performance space as Ra emerged through a door at the back of the Grand Luxe Hall. As au Miel’s set unfolded, Ra moved around the four corners of the Luxe, gradually making her way closer to the altar where she donned a set of jangaay—metal fingernail extensions traditionally worn to perform pangalay. Together, Ra and au Miel married movement to sounds that channelled ancestors from the Philippines to Haiti. To close the rehearsal, Ra read a short text from her phone with added vocal effects.

Bhenji Ra wears a cloth draped atop her head as she holds a piece of stiff material. She is kneeling on a piece of gold material. She is surrounded by a vase of flowers and other various pieces of hardware.

Tati au Miel wears a cloth atop their head like a bandana. They are wearing a black shirt that says IMPOSSIBLE in white, bold, uppercase letters. They are holding a brown bag in their right hand and are placing something in someone's hand with their left. The staircase behind them is crowded with people.

Bhenji Ra stands in a staircase full of people sitting down and holds her arms above her head in a loud expression. She is wearing a short black dress and a cloth on her head.

Two people stand each holding a bamboo buzzer in their left hand. The subjects both have their right arm out in front of them, as if they are banging the instrument on their arm to create noise. Tati au Miel stands in front of the two, watching them intently.

Bhenji Ra leads a group of 7 people outside in a suburban city setting. She holds a figurine of a saint wrapped in palm leaves and bound with white rope. The person behind her is carrying an unknown object, also wrapped in palm leaves and bound in white rope.

Bhenji Ra powerfully holds a wrapped and bound figurine of a saint above her head. She has a serious and stern look on her face. A group of people follow behind her.

Patrons of the performance walk in a cluster through a back alley. Two people hold small figurines of cows wrapped in palm leaves topped with an orange flower. One person is holding the bamboo buzzer.

Bhenji Ra walks up the staircase at Western Front holding a figurine of a saint wrapped in palm leaves and bound with white rope. Performance attendees trickle in behind her.

In the Grand Luxe Hall, Bhenji is standing on a square platform holding a bouquet of flowers, surrounded by audience members. The platform is decorated with a red cloth, a blue gift-wrapped box.

Tati au Miel sits cross legged on a square platform playing the flute. A wind chime is hanging to their right and various musical pedals lay in front of them. In the background, a figurine of a saint watches over Tati.

A red spotlight shines on a posed Bhenji. Her legs are spread and bent at the knees, her feet firmly planted on the ground. She is wearing all black and a hood. In the foreground, Tati plays a wooden instrument.

A focused Tati passionately plays a wooden wind instrument. The top half of Bhenji's body is silhouetted in the foreground, her hands raised above her head.

Tati au Miel passionately plays the flute in the lower left third of this picture. In the middle, Bhenji is pictured squatting atop the blue box. She has one arm extended behind her and the other bent at the elbow with her hand positioned in front of her face. She is wearing long gold fingernail jewelry.

Bhenji’s head and neck rest on the red side of a square platform. Her hair is in movement and her arms are raised from the elbow, her hands in a firm sign of stop.

Bhenji leans her elbows on the red square platform. Her hood and hair cover most of her face. She adorns her fingers with long gold fingertips that have dangling embellishments on them. She is surrounded by leaves, a chalice, and a bouquet of flowers.

Tati sits cross legged playing the flute while Bhenji dances behind them. Both artists are on the square platform surrounded by the audience. Bhenji’s face is covered by her long hair, and he is fluttering her hands adorned with gold nail jewelry around her face, which is still mostly covered by her hair.

Side view of Bhenji Ra dangling her gold fingernail jewelry in front of her chest. She grins a wide smile while most of her face is covered by her hair.

An energetic shot of Bhenji facing the camera, her mouth open as if she is screaming. She has black pigment on her teeth and is moving her hands in front of her, dangling her gold fingernail jewelry. She is looking down at her hands.

Tati sits cross legged on a square platform playing a wooden wind instrument. Bhenji stands on a blue box in the middle of said altar space, bending at the knees and devilishly bringing her hands toward the sky. She looks upward with a crazed look and an open mouth.

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Captions:

Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, video documentation, Jul 30, 2024. 51 min. 52 sec. Camera by Susan Gibb and Ben Wilson.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Showing by Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra and Tati au Miel performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel and Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel and Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel and Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Tati au Miel and Bhenji Ra performing at Western Front, photo documentation, Jul 30, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.

Western Front is a non-profit
artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.