An immersive, site-specific art party/ dance-off/ exhibition is coming to the Museum on October 17, for one night only, as part of Nocturne. Halifax’s free all-night art festival.
And joy is the goal.
Titled Between Lands, the project is created/ curated by Israel Ekanem, a Nigerian Canadian filmmaker, storyteller, DJ, and producer.
Feeling in-between places
“Between Lands started because I'm Nigerian, I'm Canadian, and there's sometimes a struggle with where I belong,” says Israel. “But then I realized that being ‘between lands’ isn't just geographical. It could be about a job, it could be about a relationship, it could be about a friendship, or it could be about just a mental situation where I am in one place, but I'm feeling like I want to be in a different place.”
The perfect location
Israel, who worked for the Museum in IT and video editing a few years ago, says the Museum was a “no-brainer” as a location for Between Lands because of the building’s meaning to immigrants and their descendants. “I’m Canadian now, but I’m still an immigrant,” says Israel. As well as reflecting on the feeling of being between lands, the project will “celebrate how welcoming Halifax has been.”
But what will the project be?
As they enter Between Lands, visitors will hear music, see projected film, witness the creation of a painting by project collaborator Boma The Artist. They’ll see crowds, who, depending on the time of night, might be dancing, or listening to live music, or watching a dance performance.
The vibe changes throughout the evening; Israel describes the project as six shows in one. Each hour, the event takes on a different flavour so that if you visit at two different times, you’ll experience something quite distinct.
The segments are titled:
- Welcoming, from 6pm
- Memory, from 7 pm
- Root, from 8 pm
- The Question, from 9 pm
- Body, from 10 pm
- The Sermon, from 11 pm
Celebrate
Speaking to Israel about the project, it’s clear that he is driven by an authentic impulse to celebrate. It feels like he’s planning an elaborate art-party for his friends, including the ones he hasn’t met yet. And as varied as the evening’s parts are, they are all in service of creating joy for those who attend.
Between Lands runs from 6 pm to midnight on Oct 17 at the Museum. Admission is free.
