VIVA DECLARATION!

by Tagné + Kooj
a performance of global-jazz music and live-mixed video
about migration and borders

Using poetic visuals and documentary sequences against a musical landscape Viva Declaration! connects migration with colonial and Black history, economics, political and environmental conflicts, human rights, contemporary protest and campaigns for migration justice. The critical questions and vivid emotions have never been so relevant than here and right now in post-Brexit UK.

Original version commissioned as ‘Declaration’ in 2019 by HOME Manchester.
Duration: approx 75 mins + Q&A. Available for booking – contact us.

“complex, nuanced and uncompromisingly political. Important work raising the big questions of our time”

– Stella Barnes, Director of CAN (Manchester, UK)

Recent shows of Viva Declaration! in 2020-21:

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In Humanity exhibition @PHM 1-23 Feb 2020

IN HUMANITY art installation/exhibition: Opens with talk and guided tour by Kooj Chuhan 2pm Sat 1st Feb (followed by Young Identity performing at 3pm). Exhibition continues until Sun 23rd February 2020 at People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester  M3 3ER .

In Humanity asks how far do we treat people needing refuge in humanity and with care? The UK is the only place in Europe with no time limit on detention. Nearly 30,000 people are locked up each year most of whom are eventually released, this is a shameful civil rights abuse that cannot be ignored. More info at http://crossingfootprints.com/in-humanity/

By artist and film-maker Kooj Chuhan in collaboration with These Walls Must Fall and Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, including soundtrack fragments by musician and composer Tagné Tebu. In Humanity is part of the Declaration project by Metaceptive http://crossingfootprints.com/declaration/

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First shows of the original ‘Declaration’ performance in 2019:

So, what and who is Viva Declaration! …?

Viva Declaration! combines poetic imagery with documentary narratives, featured as live visual projections from video artist Kooj Chuhan.  The musical compositions are specially created and performed by Tagné Tebu, a multi-instrumentalist with jazz, African, Latin and Indo-Arabic influences.  This new performance has evolved from the original ‘Declaration’ show with new musical and video sections, an expanded narrative plus special guest Helena Summerfield on saxophones and flute.  Expect sections of free improv, interactive video and audio loops, spoken polemics, multi-layered rhythms and evocative melodic structures.

Kooj Chuhan is a leading UK-based artist-activist.  He has exhibited at Arnolfini (Bristol), ICA (London), internationally including San Diego, Paris, New Delhi, Toronto. Among his achievements is an award for digital arts connecting refugees with climate change.  Tagné Tebu has a refugee background and many credits as composer, arranger, musical director and producer. His credits include work with world-music stars Amadou and Mariam.  Helena Summerfield will join Kooj and Tagné for the new ‘Viva Declaration’ performance. She is an award-winning music educator and performer working across classical and jazz and a regular in Manchester’s jazz scene.

‘Viva Declaration’ includes a mix of spoken monologues by detainees, human rights activists and legal case-workers reflecting on the themes of migration justice and connecting with Global South diaspora and Black History. It includes material from Angela Davis, Walter Rodney, Shami Chakrabarti, Viraj Mendis, Bridget Anderson, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit and These Walls Must Fall campaign.

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The narrative connects with both the ‘Universal Declaration on Human Rights’ and the historical contexts for ‘Declarations of Independence’ to end colonisation.  The artists are exploring a level of decolonising the musical and visual narrative and form.  Recorded documentary audio and video footage has been adapted by Kooj Chuhan using software for re-play within the music.

>> VIEW GALLERY OF THE PERFORMANCE AT HOME >>

ARTISTS

Kooj Chuhan is artistic director and visual / video / VJ creator for the project. He has developed the narrative which reflects on wider ideas about no borders throughout history. Kooj has worked on the ideas underpinning the piece for some decades, he has known Tagné for 12 years and their work has crossed over a number of times. 
Kooj has exhibited work at Arnolfini (Bristol), ICA (London), internationally including San Diego, Paris, New Delhi, Toronto.  He has won an award for digital arts connecting refugees with climate change, founded the Virtual Migrants artists collective focusing on race, migration and global justice, was instrumental in the early Manchester Black Arts movement and is the director of Metaceptive Media.    www.metaceptive.net/about

Tagné Tebu is well known in Manchester as an astounding multi-instrumentalist musician composer.  He came from Cameroon originally as a refugee to the UK, and strongly believes in the importance of legal systems for migrant justice.  He has many credits as composer, arranger, producer and director. These include the 3-year Urban Music Theatre project, Manchester International Roots Orchestra, Another Country music and spoken word production.  He has worked with international ‘world music’ stars Amadou and Mariam, Palestinian singer Reem Kelani and leading Romanian composer Michael Cretu.  Tagné is co-founder and artistic director of Amani Creatives in Manchester.    www.tebumuzik.com

Helena Summerfield is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and an award-winning music educator. Although classically trained, she is a very experienced jazz educator including with the National Youth Jazz Collective. Outside of teaching Helena remains an active composer and performer in the Manchester area with bands such as HSQ (The Hillary Step Saxophone Quartet), Zamani, Ysbryd, the Tebu project and Mike Hall’s ‘Boplicity’. Helena also hosts a monthly show ‘Midweek Jazz’ on Reform Radio.

VIVA DECLARATION PARTNERS

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit and These Walls Must Fall campaign will contribute using audio and video narratives from their members which are integrated into the music score. 
The collaborating partners supporting the project are:   Amani Creatives  www.amanicreatives.wordpress.com , Virtual Migrants  www.virtualmigrants.net , These Walls Must Fall  www.detention.org.uk , Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit  www.gmiau.org and Metaceptive Projects and Media  www.metaceptive.net .

Recent event at HOME Manchester on 18th June 2019: www.homemcr.org/production/declaration/