Short impression of visiting JR: Chronicles in the Groninger Museum in Groningen, The Netherlands — a major show of the work of the artist JR, organized by the Brooklyn Museum. Here focusing on the video wall of Inside Out projects, screening our short film Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild.
The exhibition is touring the world. First , the Brooklyn Museum in New York from October 4, 2019 – May 3, 2020. Next, the Saatchi Gallery in London from June – Oct 2021. And more recent the Groninger Museum in Holland (The Netherlands) from Nov 2021 untill June 2022 — filmed here June 2022. A promotional film with images of all these places was posted 20220107.
The show highlights JR’s global public participatory art project INSIDE OUT ( @insideoutproject ) .
A video wall is screening the Best of INSIDE OUT videos – including our film ‘Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild’ – a short documentary on the Inside Out project “Justice for Afghan refugees in Belgium”.
Our short film documents the Afghan refugees living in the Brussels Béguinage church , with music by Félix Snyers on the Béguinage church pipe organ, and their portrait’s (posters) by Chiara Ravano for the Inside Out project “Justice for Afghan refugees in Belgium” exhibition at Olivier Bonny’s workshop in Salon Mommen, Brussels, Belgium, March 2014. A Beguinage Project report by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg.
License info JR: Chronicles Groninger Museum | 20230301 | Miracles•Media | TakeNode fbe93b03-5b53-4b3f-92ce-df537ffc1d96
PUSH opera at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels – Online via OperaVision
OperaVision
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 at La Monnaie Opera House has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
PUSH made its world première on Saturday 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea (UK). This powerfull inspirational community opera was specially commisioned from Howard Moody (composer , conductor, musical director) by Battle Festival (Sally Lampitt, festival director and producer, and Dave Furness, chairman) for Battle Festival 2016 and the ROOT 1066 International Festival in partnership with Glyndebourne and the De La Warr Pavilion. Simon Gronowski attended the premiere.
The opera is inspired by the true story of Simon Gronowski, whose mother pushed him off a train heading to Auschwitz in 1943 – an action that saved his life and gave the opera its name.
Howard Moody first met Simon Gronowski at a performance of his opera Sindbad in 2014 at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels. Simon told the Howard the story of his escape and life and ended with the phrase “Ma Vie N’est Que Miracles !”. Moody was so moved he promised that night to write his next opera about Simon.
Howard’s opera PUSH tells the story of Simon’s escape from the 20th Convoy Train on April 19, 1943 – how his mother pushed Simon off the train – and the recent story of Simon meeting and forgiving his former camp guard of deportation camp Mechelen , some years ago.
PUSH was directed by Simon Iorio in Bexhill and later that month at the nearby St Mary’s Church in Battle , and performed by the PUSH orchestra , the Battle Festival Community Choir and PUSH singers — a cast made up of singers of all abilities from Battle and the surrounding area — children, teenagers and adults were resistance fighters, collaborators and prisoners — while three professional soloists played the roles of Simon (James Newby), Simon’s Sister (Tereza Gevorgyan) and the Guard (Matthew Stiff).
PUSH tells Simon’s story but also deals with much broader themes of persecution — a story of our times, full of themes of hope and togetherness, separation, and fear.
The PUSH community opera was next performed in the UK in Salisbury and Chichester (2018), and with a special performance to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2019 at the Speaker’s House in Westminster, London (hosted by The House of Commons, Chichester MP Gillian Keegan) that was attended by leaders in the Jewish community along with members from both houses of Parliament.
March 2019 PUSH premiered in Simon Gronowski’s hometown , in Brussels at La Monnaie Opera House and was performed in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Simon Gronowski and family. Director of the Brussels’ performance was Benoît De Leersnyder and Howard was conductor of La Monnaie’s Chamber Music Ensemble with a mixed youth and adult Chorus / La Monnaie’s Children’s and Youth Chorus. Soloists were James Newby (Simon), Sheva Tehoval (Simon’s sister) , Ivan Ludlow (Guard) and Felix Cooper / Thylan Aerts / Milo Avalosse / Djurre Diels (Young Simon). Lighting designer was Ace McCarron. Sets & Costumes by Emilie Lauwers and both Emilie Lauwers & Simon Van Rompay did the Video work.
PUSH Opera – Finale with giant choir – Lockdown 2020 🇧🇪 🇬🇧
Finally, during the lockdown 2020, singers from all four casts of the previous productions in Belgium and UK – Bexhill, Battle, Salisbury, Chichester, London and Brussels – recorded their parts to create a virtual giant choir of over 150 opera singers.
The film ‘My life is only miracles’ – the finale of Howard Moody‘s opera PUSH – was edited by Shogo Hino – with additional work by Michel van der Burg , Miracles.Media – and released online the night of April 19th 2020 to mark the 77th anniversary of protagonist Simon Gronowski’s escape from the death train Transport XX to Auschwitz. That night more than 200 prisoners escaped from the train before the German border after three Brussels resistance heroes stopped that Nazi train Transport XX, transporting 1600 Jewish deportees to Auschwitz.
Following the online premiere of this virtual performance of Howard Moody’s PUSH finale that was created during lockdown , the La Monnaie Opera House too made available temporarily last April for screening online the entire opera of PUSH, performed in March 2019 in Brussels.
OperaVision featuring PUSH online
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
Interview with with Sue Kent and Howard Moody. By Wiltshire Creative , April 2020
This Big Interview is with composer Howard Moody and Sue Kent, founder member of Salisbury Arts Centre and general manager of La Folia. They are in conversation with Wiltshire Creative’s Take Part Director, Louise Dancy.
link https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=565415244109794
PUSH Opera – Bexhill | Battle Festival 2016
PUSH Opera – Live recording of the world premiere on 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion – Music and libretto by Howard Moody – Commissioned by Battle Festival
online link https://vimeo.com/199353255
Brooklyn Museum video wall JR: Chronicles. Reportage October 2019 as part of our Beguinage Project Series by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg | miracles.media
Join the Brooklyn Museum virtual tour of JR: Chronicles …
the first major exhibition in North America of works by the French-born artist JR. Working at the intersections of photography, social engagement, and street art, JR often collaborates with communities by making portraits and wheat pasting them in nearby public spaces. See how JR has expanded the meaning of public art through his ambitious projects that give visibility and agency to a broad spectrum of people around the world.
Created by Sharon Matt Atkins, Director of Exhibitions and Strategic Initiatives, and Drew Sawyer, Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Curator, Photography, Brooklyn Museum. Tune in next Sunday for another tour of the Brooklyn Museum galleries!
A virtual video wall tour focusing on our project presentation there was published by Kristen Cattell and me , as : “JR: New York Show – Afghan Refugees Inside Out Belgium”
… a Brooklyn Museum reportage made October 2019 by Kristen Cattell as part of our Beguinage Project Series. Film : JR: New York Show – Afghan Refugees Inside Out Belgium (20200206) by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg | miracles.media . Link https://wp.me/p14gqN-nqs
Video ~ JR: New York Show – Afghan Refugees Inside Out Belgium
Action Principles
Agir pour la Paix (Act for Peace) teaching practical action principles to Afghan refugees living in the Béguinage church in Brussels, Belgium, March 2014. Beguinage Project Reports – Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg. Film : Action Principles (20200216) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com
JR: New York Show – Afghan Refugees Inside Out Belgium.
One minute impression of visiting JR: Chronicles in the Brooklyn Museum in New York, focusing on the video wall of Inside Out projects, screening our short film Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild. The film is a documentary of the March 2014 Inside Out project ‘Justice For Afghan Refugees In Belgium’.
Further documentation showing the film online here : Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition (20200205). https://michelvanderburg.com/2020/02/05/beguinage-refugees-into-the-wild-jr_-chronicles-edition/
JR: Chronicles | Brooklyn Museum | October 4, 2019 – May 3, 2020
CREDITS
Film Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild – Afghan refugees living in the Brussels Béguinage church with posters by Chiara Ravano for the Inside Out project “Justice for Afghan refugees in Belgium” – Olivier Bonny, Salon Mommen, Brussels, Belgium, March 2014. Félix Snyers on the Béguinage church pipe organ. A Beguinage Project report by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg. Film : Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition (20200205) Michel van der Burg | miracles.media
JR: Chronicles | INSIDE OUT | Brooklyn Museum | October 4, 2019 – May 3, 2020
Brooklyn Museum reportage made October 2019 by Kristen Cattell as part of our Beguinage Project Series.
Film : JR: New York Show – Afghan Refugees Inside Out Belgium (20200206) by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg | miracles.media
Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition (20200205) .
Our short documentary film ‘Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild’ is currently screening in the Brooklyn Museum in New York at the special exhibition JR: Chronicles – a major show that surveys the complete body of work of the artist JR for the first time in North America.
Best of INSIDE OUT – Justice For Afghan Refugees In Belgium
One of JR’s major projects is the global participatory art project INSIDE OUT, and the film ‘Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild’ documents one of the Inside Out projects ‘Justice For Afghan Refugees In Belgium’ – that was chosen as one of the favorite Inside Out Group Actions.
Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition
When visiting the Brooklyn Museum in New York last year, it was exciting to see the JR: Chronicles and our film at the museum’s impressive video wall.
However we noted the original Vimeo film version (20160620) was screening at the museum’s video wall, not the special edition we had prepared (with title and endscreen credit updates). A minor mistake but also an opportunity now to offer this new film edition that is posted today (20200205) – with a final update in the endscreen (credits) – called : Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition.
This new edition was archived today in JR’s project INSIDE OUT, and is forwarded to the Brooklyn Museum to hopefully soon allow replacing the current version – running for another three months…untill May 3, 2020 .
JR: Chronicles | Brooklyn Museum | October 4, 2019 – May 3, 2020
Film Credits
BÉGUINAGE REFUGEES INTO THE WILD
Afghan refugees living in the Brussels Béguinage church with posters by Chiara Ravano for the Inside Out project “Justice for Afghan refugees in Belgium” – Olivier Bonny, Salon Mommen, Brussels, Belgium, March 2014. Félix Snyers on the Béguinage church pipe organ. A Beguinage Project report by Kristen Cattell & Michel van der Burg.
Film : Béguinage Refugees Into The Wild ~ JR: Chronicles Edition (20200205) Michel van der Burg | miracles.media
Host Country Belgium – PaulusRundbrief Nº495
When you drive from the Flemish countryside to the city of Brussels, you are greeted at the city limits by posters that welcome you in four languages – that inspired the title for this Paulus Newsletter’s theme: La Belgique – Pays d’Accueil ! … Belgium has always been a destination for the politically persecuted …
Refuge Atelier Marcel Hastir
In this newsletter ‘Zufluchtsort Atelier’ (Refuge Atelier) by Susanne Fexer on the atelier of Marcel Hastir in Brussels, Belgium, where he helped save the lives of countless people during the Nazi terror.
Credits | Links
Text based on quotes (translated) from the Editorial by Annick Dohet-Gremminger in the bimonthly Paulus newsletter (PaulusRundbrief N°495) of the Katholische Gemeinde Deutscher Sprache Brüssel Sankt Paulus – the Catholic Community German Language Brussels St. Paulus.
PaulusRundbrief N°495 is available digital from the archive at the Sankt Paulus site – http://www.sankt-paulus.eu
Film : Refuge Atelier Marcel Hastir – Paulus Newsletter (20191004) Michel van der Burg | miracles.media
michelvanderburg•com 