CHODZENIE 09
Chodzenie 09 was a series of performative events organised for The Polish Arts Festival in Southend, 2009. Chodzenie’s inspiration was the journey of the Polish captives of war from Poland to Siberia and then to Iran during WWII.
30 Bird organised six contemporary events to mark the encounter between the two cultures
The Lost Requiem
A very rare screening of an extraordinary film about the Polish men, women and children who were brought to Iran during World War Two.
Khosrow Sinai’s film tells the tale of one Polish family in Tehran and follows the lives of Polish children who were sent to New Zealand after the war.
Director: Khosrow Sinai
Droga
For Droga, Polish born performance and visual artist Ania Bas led walks in and around Southend with collaborators Laura Trevail and John Alexander Borley, inspired by the rounding up of Polish citizens from their houses by the Soviet Army. The Polish citizens were given a very short amount of time to pack essentials only and board a train. The walks explore the moment of arrival to the new place.
The walks involved carrying bags filled with sand through Southend and onto its man made beach. Participants explored the city with its various characteristics, stopped for breaks in different locations and finally deposited the sand on the beach.
Droga emulates the Situationist notion of discovering a city through walking without mapping out a detailed pre-determined journey, allowing the architecture and structure of the city to reveal and present itself to the passer by.
Artists: Ania Bas, Laura Trevail, John Borley Alexander
Sponsored by Arts Council England, Polish Cultural Institute and Southend Council.
Supported by Hungry Arts.
Live Football Poland vs. Iran
In 1976, the best ever Polish Football team played against arguably the best ever Iranian football team in the Montreal Olympics. This match featured the world renowned players Tomaszewski, Lato and Deyna as well as the great Ali Parvin for Iran, nicknamed “The Sultan”. Such a clash of talent led to a memorable game with Poland edging to a 3-2 win against Iran and going on to gain the Silver medal.
On 26th of September 2009, a re-match took place in Southend as part of METAL’s Village Green event. The two teams wore their respective countries 70s kit, which coincided with the colours of The Solidarity movement in Poland and the Green movement in Iran. Watched by hundreds , they were led on a parade to the football pitch by the 32 piece Liverpool Youth and Formby Brass Band to the tune of Brassed Off. Solidarity, the Green Movement, The miners strike of 1984 and a football match: the people of Southend did not know what hit them.
Did history repeat itself or was there a new score?
Live Football: Poland v Iran is a participatory piece of outdoor performance, using football as an arena to bring sport, culture and protest movements together.
With special thanks to: Bahman Chahardehi, Stan Forczek, Arian FC, The Red White Eagles FC, Louise Hough, Ian Brownbill (METAL Liverpool), The Liverpool Youth and Formby Brass Band, John Manning, The Essex County Football Association, The Ref: Mark Chapman,
& all at METAL Southend
Sponsored by Arts Council England, METAL Southend and Southend Council.
Supported by Hungry Arts.
My Club
My Club is inspired by the need of the Polish Community in Southend to have a club for its young people where they can gather and engage in social and artistic activities.
Our military truck was turned into a mobile Tea House by public works, roaming the Southend high street and the Polski Picnic. People were invited to sit down and exchange their stories about clubs they have belonged to in the past for cake and coffee.
Participants wrote a short account of their experiences on cards which were attached to the truck
30 Bird in collaboration with Torange Khonsari and Colin Priest from Public Works
Film: Stuart Condy
Sponsored by Arts Council England, Polish Cultural Institute, Southend Council.
Supported by Hungry Arts.
Chodzenie Siberia
In Chodzenie-Siberia, 30 Bird combine their unique visual approach with an exciting blend of contemporary dance choreographed by Tom Dale, a conference of diners and a landscape of film imagery.
The audience are invited into a re-imagined, forgotten world full of broken narratives written on place cards and diners eating their way through Pierogi with Borst and Sholeh Zard (Saffron rice pudding). Performers appear and disappear from amongst the audience reflecting the transient nature of long journeys carrying with them a sense of restriction and Claustrophobia experienced by Poles who were carted like sheep to Siberia from Poland.
2009 was the first proper outing of Chodzenie-Siberia which went on to develop for another two years in Chodzenie 10 and as an independent project at the Imagine-Watford Festival in 2011.
Performers: Betsabeh Emran, Katryn Jackson, Donald Slack, Pepa Ubera
Director: Mehrdad Seyf
Choreographer: Tom Dale
Dance Director: Ryen Perkins-Gangnes
Film Artist: Stuart Condy
Spatial Designer: Torange Khonsari (public works)
Lighting Designer: Anna Watson
Lighting Assistant: Jack Knowles
Event Manager: Colin Priest
Stage Manager: Laura Miles
Company Manager: Philipa Karpas
Sponsored by Arts Council England, Polish Cultural Institute, Southend Council.
Supported by Hungry Arts.
Poland 3 Iran 2
In 1976, the best ever Polish Football team played against arguably the best ever Iranian football team in the Montreal Olympics. This match featured the world renowned players Tomaszewski, Lato and Deyna as well as the great Ali Parvin for Iran, nicknamed “The Sultan”. Such a clash of talent led to a memorable game with Poland edging to a 3-2 win against Iran and going on to gain the Silver medal.
In a humorous presentation, Chris Dobrowolski and Mehrdad Seyf use footage from the match to discuss football, revolution, swimming and subbuteo.
2009 was Poland 3 Iran 2’s first outing. The piece was selected for Escalator East to Edinburgh 2010. It had a three week run at Edinburgh Fringe, followed by a national and international tour.
Created and Perfomed by: Mehrdad Seyf and Chris Dobrowolski