Happy New Year everybody! We hope you all enjoyed the festive celebrations. This is the time of year to evaluate the year just gone and set our intentions for 2015: which is exactly what the Mandinga newsletter is here to do. Have a look at what we have been up to in the last three months and get ready for another year packed full of exciting performances and events.
Don’t forget to keep up to date with all Mandinga goings-on via our Facebook , Twitter, YouTube and Vimeo pages.
Aalborg Carnival Large Scale Puppetry Masterclasses
Co-Artistic Director Charles Beauchamp was back in Aalborg, Denmark, on the 28th-29th October to deliver another set of workshops for the on-going European Project HistArt. This was the second time Mandinga visited Aalborg in 2014, where one of the biggest European carnivals is held in the month of May.
 
The company’s expertise has become a source of inspiration for those involved creatively with Aalborg Carnival. Project Manager Sjaja Haddadi expressed ‘We wanted to work with an artist who could inspire the participants to continue their work beyond the Masterclass and present something beautiful at Aalborg Carnival. The Masterclass lasted a full day but the energy level never went down, because the participants were challenged creatively. They are now continuing the work they started in the Masterclass and we are excited to see what they come up with for the carnival.’
Apart from the three carnival groups who addressed the technical requirements for their own puppets, the masterclass was also attended by artists working outside the carnival sector looking to develop skills related to large scale puppetry. Amongst techniques explored were backpack making, articulation, material choices and scaling up from smaller models.
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Great British Carnival- Bridgwater
On 2nd November, following our appearance in Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park in July and Margate in August, Mandinga joined forces once again with Great British Carnival to entertain the crowds at Bridgwater Carnival in Somerset; an extension of the traditional Guy Fawkes’ Night celebrations. We were accompanied by fellow Londoners, Rhythms of the City, and the Isle of Wight’s Shademakers. Our performance was led by a small but very professional team of loyal volunteers who, in their spiky headdresses and white witch’s veils, wowed the crowds.
 
Bridgwater Carnival was also our new intern Thisbe Casellini’s first official outing with Mandinga; “Having seen the incredible costumes backstage I could have only imagined what they could become when animated by performers. It was impossible not to get completely immersed in the characters we became. Very much worth the drizzle and long travel! ”
 
For more photos of our first visit to Bridgwater Carnival, please visit our Facebook Album or click here for photos on the Great British Carnival’s website.
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Dance Around the World
The 14th annual Dance Around the World festival was held on 24th and 25th October, 2014. Celebrating music and dance culture from across the globe, the two days event gave members of the public a chance to watch and even try their hand at Flamenco, Indian, Caribbean, South East European, Latin and even Maori dance.
Mandinga made a small contribution this year by supplying White Katrina costumes worn during the Mexican dance performance. The company has been present at DATW for the last six years years and Co-Artistic Director Julieta Rubio danced alongside other known faces including choreographer Elsa Perez, who commended ‘the joy and liveliness of dancing in one of Julieta’s beautiful dresses’.
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On the 7th of November Mandinga Arts attended the UKCCA Carnival Conference titled One Sector, One Voice. The conference focused on the question ‘What is needed to influence the growth of this vibrant sector?’. It aimed to provide a platform for various representatives from an array of Carnival arts organisations to share their experiences and debate about issues arising from creation, delivery and funding. Amongst those presenting were: Mestre Mags (London School of Samba), Paul McLaren (Shademakers), Clary Salandy (Mahogany) Sjaja Haddadi (Aalborg Carnival), Janine Jaeggi and Martin Sasse (Stelzen Art - Bremen Carnival), Teresa Askew and Frank Sweeney (Great British Carnival) and Alison Clarke Jenkins, the Director of Arts Council Combined Arts.
It was a full, diverse day, not without tension. Nevertheless it provided a good overview of the passion shared by artists and producers and the need for a shared conversation within a sector which is in no doubt flourishing, but meeting many challenges along the way. Different funding models were presented, such as that of Aalborg Carnival, whose business plan even includes a carnival branded beer, and Mahogany’s commercialisation success story which amongst others, comprises performing in significant Social and Heritage events. There were also uplifting presentations by young artists whose careers were shaped by their carnival experiences, as well as veterans whose lifelong commitment to carnival goes back many decades. The conference finished on a very high note: delegates got down to some samba, courtesy of Rhythms of the City.
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Our HistArt colleagues from Stelzen Art, Oakleaf and Aalborg Carnival (based in Bremen, Hamburg and Aalborg respectively) visited Mandinga Arts in the first week of November to make plans for the year ahead and further share expertise. Mandinga Arts will be visiting Bremen in February 2015 with the aim to collaborate with the local dance group Fooldance led by Markus Hoft at Bremen Carnival and Tanz (International Festival for Contemporary Dance). The meeting offered a chance to explore how the performance will surprise and delight audiences by being carried out outside of the demarcated parade route. In an experiment to engage a more reserved crowd, we will be putting Mandinga’s Monkeys to the task!
 
The meeting also enabled a discussion on sharing artistic and technical skills. Our Co-Artistic Director, Charles Beauchamp, comments: ‘Piet Koenekoop (from Oakleaf) is a creative engineer who enjoys resolving mechanical challenges which could be directed at the development of our own craft’. We are currently working with Piet to explore the use of motorised moving parts in costumes and puppets.
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NORCA Workshops
Co-Artistic Director Charles Beauchamp headed out to Norwich on the 15th of November to lead a two day master workshop to explore the use of plastazote foam in headdress at the community arts centre NORCA. A trademark of Mandinga’s work, the company has been researching, experimenting and developing plastazote foam designs for over two decades and sharing its findings with others through workshops. Participant Ali Mckenzie from Tin House, a participatory and community arts organisation, nodded to this by commenting ‘Mandinga are so generous with their knowledge and techniques’. The group successfully explored the various methods used to create, cut, shape and mould foam, vacuum forming shapes and even had a go at using an electric oven to create backpacks.
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ArtReach Creative People and Places- Christmas Lights Switch on
On the 29th and 30th of November Co-Artistic Director Charles Beauchamp and choreographer, Theah Dix, travelled to the Fens to lead two workshops and perform alongside two groups of local children in separate Christmas Lights Switch on events; at Chatteris and Wisbech. They were invited by the arts development agency ArtReach under the initiative Creative People and Places, a fund aimed at disseminating the arts to all, irrespective of their social, geographic, educational or financial circumstances.
Both towns are located amongst the striking and unusual setting of the Fens, a low lying agricultural area in the East of England where towns pop up like islands down long, straight roads. It was the perfect place to take some of our Frogs, Mice and the Golden Bird to enlighten their Christmas Switch On events, to the sound of Funk, Soca and Salsa flavoured Christmas songs. Thea Dix said of the event: ‘The kids were full of energy, showed enjoyment in dancing to new styles of music and totally loved wearing Mandinga's costumes. It was great to see their proud happy faces after they'd performed for their towns!’
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With the arrival of the colder months Julieta and Charles’ studios have seen much progress in the production of the new Animal Farm costumes. The Abuelita project, Animal Farm’s rabbit inspired costume, has finally reached the exciting prototype stages. The skirt which will combine textile, props and kinetic engineering is being developed with the assistance of Piet Koennekoop from Oakleaf. Help has also come from our colleague Yu Kim from Korea, who has suggested using the flocking technique to render the large number of rabbit props furry, thus eliminating the long painting process.
Another set of costumes in the making is the chicken section, which will consist of one large cockerel, one large hen and a number of chicks. Charles has been working on a large structure to be worn by the Chicken character whilst Julieta has enlarged the original A4 drawing for the ongoing development of the printing process. The pivotal chicken feet are already being carved and moulded for future vac forming.
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Having continued to build a strong relationship with Portsmouth University and their Creative Technology students, Mandinga Arts’ website is in the process of being redesigned as one of their graduate projects. The new website will be up and running by March 2015. Watch our Facebook page for more news on the big website re-launch!
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It’s becoming an annual fixture that Mandinga Arts hosts our AGM combined with a festive lunch for our ever supportive board members, and this year was no exception. We decided to keep it in the carnival family, and held the day at Sunshine International Arts’ community carnival C.A.F.E space in Loughborough Junction, South East London ran by the wonderfully talented Ray Mahabir. It was down to business first, reflecting on a busy 2014, and looking ahead to our plans and developments for 2015 – 2018.
 
The AGM was then followed by a Tongan themed lunch, developed by the Mandinga team and Ray to reflect a possible commission for 2015. With the commission to be inspired by the Tonga Islands we thought it was important the board became acquainted with the islanders’ life through their diet and some fun facts courtesy of Wikipedia. Board members were treated to Ray's delicious cooking: fish served in banana leaves, roast pork and ceviche in coconut cream, amongst other deliciously tropical numbers. To add to the southern vibes we had the Colombian musician Diego Laverdes play the harp throughout lunch. We closed the productive yet merry day with some dancing by all involved to the sound of Cumbia, played on the harp.
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Crisis at Christmas
During the Festive Season, Charles volunteered to run two mask making workshops with Crisis at Christmas a charity supporting single homeless people at an exceptionably difficult period of the year.
 
Providing all the materials and tools, Charles set up in the impressive City of London Academy building in Bermondsey. It was the first time this type of creative activity had been available and it proved highly successful:
' This was an inspiring experience; sharing time, friendship and creativity with guests and volunteers from many backgrounds and parts of London. After two days of activities (under the exceptional support structure Crisis offers) what remains in the memory, besides the impressive masks created, is how human beings, most often complete strangers and many with tremendous daily struggles, will come together .The whole experience expressed an alternative view of the human potential which is often lost in the commercial frenzy that Christmas has become'.
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Anna de Freitas joined us right at the end of October 2013 for her placement, just in time to then join us straight on the road for Bridgewater Carnival. During her time with us Anna also played an intrinsic role in assisting the organising and smooth running of the Day of the Dead event at the Horniman Museum. After leaving Mandinga Anna has found success working in theatre organisations.
‘Since leaving Mandinga Arts, I've worked as an Assistant Stage Manager for Iris Theatre, on their production of Alice in Wonderland at the Cockpit Theatre. I also joined Mandinga Arts again, in May, to work as Production Manager on their participation in Aalborg Karneval. I'm currently working for cabaret company Excess All Areas as Office Administrator and Stage Manager; with a production of Dial M...for Death, a spoof murder mystery, currently playing at the Battersea Barge.’
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We have come to the end of another internship at Mandinga and we will be waving goodbye to Thisbe Casellini in the beginning of February. Thisbe has worked in the office, assisting the Company Project Manager, Claire Horton, since September 2014. She gave us a hand at Bridgwater Carnival, attended the UKCCA Conference, accompanied Charles to the workshops in Norwich and helped us organise the Aalborg Workshops and the upcoming Bremen Carnival visit. Of her brief yet productive time with us she has said:
‘Having landed an internship with Mandinga Arts has been the highlight of my year, not only in terms of all that I have learnt but also about the quality time I have spent alongside the team. Mandinga introduced me to a world which encapsulates so much of what I am interested in and made me realise that Carnival is greatly more than what I expected. I now have plans to further my career into Community Arts, which could see me staying in this incredibly exciting sector.’
Our 3 monthly internship placement will now be put on hold for 2015, as we partake in the Creative Employment Programme. Mandinga is part of a consortium of Lambeth based arts organisations, led by the Creative Society, to provide paid internships and apprenticeships for 18 – 24 year olds who are currently registered with the Job Centre. We will offer two placements in 2015:
Project and Administrative Assistant (in the office); 6 month placement from April – October 2015, 30 hours / week.
Artistic Assistant (in the studio); 12 month placement from April 2015 – April 2016, 30 hours / week.
More information will be emailed. Our recruitment will commence in February 2015. Watch this space!
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Greetings to One and All,
Welcome to Art and Existence: African and Asian Diaspora Explored, a new set of Thursday afternoon informal talks led by external practitioners and specialists in their field, who through art, design, media and technology, unpack the cultural and social landscape, exploring race and representation, often provocative, sometimes challenging assumptions and perceptions of Africans and Asians and their Diaspora.
ALL TALKS ARE FREE – BOOK TICKETS BY CALLING THE BOOKINGS TEAM ON 020 942 2211 OR YOU CAN CHANCE IT AND ARRIVE ON THE DAY. ASK AT A RECEPTION DESK OR A MEMBER OF STAFF FOR THE
CLORE LEARNING ROOM IN THE BRITISH GALLERIES, LEVEL 2.
Event 1.
ART AND EXISTENCE TALKS SERIES
4 CORNERS: Designers from the African Diaspora (Africa, Caribbean, Europe & USA)
Thursday 22 January 2015, 14.30 – 16.00
Clore Study Room, British Galleries, Level 2
Launched by Jon Daniel and Design Week 2013, '4 CORNERS' is the first regular column by a mainstream publisher to showcase pioneering, emerging and established creative professionals from the African Diaspora. This talk introduces select work from the USA, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Talk will be led by Jon Daniel, Independent Creative Director
Ju-Ju Bird, Winston Branch, 1976 Mus. No. E.1400-1976
Event 2.
ART AND EXISTENCE TALKS SERIES
Tartan’s Journey Through the African Diaspora
Thursday 12 February 2015, 14.30 – 16.00
Clore Study Room, British Galleries, Level 2
Observe the story of how tartan influenced the development of madras fabric in British occupied India, then shipped to Africa and the Caribbean and becoming incorporated into the national dress and material culture of the Caribbean islands. This talk takes inspiration from the 19th century madras silk and cotton squares in the V&A collection.
Talk will be led by Teleica Kirkland, Founder of Costume Institute of the African Diaspora (CIAD)https://historyfashionculture.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/qa-with-teleica-kirkland/
TARTAN: Its Journey Through the African Diaspora © CIAD
Event 3.
ART AND EXISTENCE TALKS SERIES
The Seamstress, Designer and the Model
Thursday 5 March 2015, 14.30 – 16.00
Clore Study Room, British Galleries, Level 2
Explore the role of the seamstress in black cultural life in the Caribbean, the results of emigration and displacement, and compare patterns of production in the Caribbean and Britain. Examine the work of Nat Gaines and Beryl Gilroy’s suit within the V&A’s collection, black people as consumers of fashion in Britain, the emergence of black designers in British mainstream fashion including Darla Jane Gilroy, Bruce Oldfield, Joe Casely-Hayford, and the black models who donned the outfits on catwalks and in magazines.
Talk will be led by Avril Horsford,
Independent Art and Cultural animator & former Head of Academic Diversity, Univ. of the Arts, LCF
Event 4.
ART AND EXISTENCE TALKS SERIES
The Rise and Development of Black Print Culture
Thursday 12 March 2015, 14.30 – 16.00
Clore Study Room, British Galleries, Level 2
Using the work of Joel Augustus Rogers (1880 – 1966) as a case study, examine the role of the journalist, political activist, artist, and publisher in countering racist stereotypes, by creating a black led perspective on print media, collected on people from the African Diaspora within books, newspapers, hand bills and pamphlets.
Talk will be led by Patrick Vernon, Founder of Every Generation Media
Drawing, Phil May, 1898, UK Mus. No. E.667-1949
Event 5.
ART AND EXISTENCE TALKS SERIES
Calypso and the Black British Experience 1950s and 60s
Thursday 19 March 2015, 14.30 – 16.00
Clore Study Room, British Galleries, Level 2
Tune into the calypsos of the great commanders and griots of this art form includingKitchener, Terror, Beginner, Roaring Lion and Sparrow, who all spent time in the Britain in the 1950s and '60s. The lyrics of Calypso were highly political as they were contentious, and dealt with a variety of topics such as poor housing; gaining Independence and the Commonwealth; African, Caribbean and British affairs; the wars and economic status. Consider the changes that have occurred since these decades, and revisit "London is the Place for Me" through Alexander’s "Windrush" song, that contrasts with Kitchener's rather rose tinted view of Britain in 1948.
Talk will be led by Alexander D. Great, Musician and Educator
Calypso, 1948, Musical, ©V&A
Hope you can make it down for some of these important but informal sessions.
Kind Regards,
Janet
Janet Browne
Programme Manager Black Heritage and Culture
Learning Department
Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell road
London
SW7 2RL
Direct Line: 020 7942 2184
Email:j.browne@vam.ac.uk
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