What Lives Matter?
A HUSBAND KILLS HIS WIFE
ANOTHER VIGIL FOR A DEAD WOMAN
ANOTHER DEATH IN CUSTODY
PROTEST
IS THERE NO PLACE THAT IS SAFE?
NO TEMPLE THAT IS SACRED?
WHAT LIVES MATTER?
VIGIL is a poly-vocal, multidisciplinary and site specific work imagined from the minds of visionary communities and creatives asking Australia—Do our lives matter? What lives matter? It brings together an eclectic group of writers and performers, a choreographer and community ensemble to examine the intersection of public and private safety with race, gender and terror in the streets of Naarm/Melbourne.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director/Concept/Co-set Designer Irine Vela
Writers Bryan Andy, Kush Kuiy, Sahra Davoudi, Samah Sabawi and Patricia Cornelius
Choreographer/Dance Artist Tara Jade Samaya
Writer Mentors Christos Tsiolkas and Samah Sabawi
Photography Miguel Rios and Meredith O’Shea
Community ensemble from Banksia Gardens Community Services (Hume) including EL AMAL Arabic Speaking Women’s Group, OORJA Indian Migrant Women’s Group and Didi Bahini Samaj Nepalese Women’s Group.
Creative Development artists to date: Adrienne Chisholm, Amarachi Logo, Ajak Kwai, Damian Seddon, Georgia Rudd, Gina Gascoigne, Israel Aloni, Ivy-Victoria Otradovec, Jennifer Large, Jonathan Reiter, Kuiy Kush, Mari Lourey, Maryanne Lynch, Mary Sitarenos, Michaela Tancheff, Michelle Heaven, Nicki Benza, Pippa Samaya, Rebecca Robinson, Renae Shadler, Sakdiyah Maruf, Sermsah Bin Saad, Stella Horta, Tamara Bouman, Thaedra Fragos and Vahideh Eisaei
Content Warning: This work explores themes of trauma related to abusive relationships, events, and femicide as well as the ripple effects of gender-based violence. If you or someone you know requires support, please refer to our community support page >here<.
Developed with partnership support from the Australian Government through Creative Australia and its arts funding and advisory body including Creative Futures Fund (Development), the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, Reve Fund, Webster Fund, sub-funds of Australian Communities Foundation, Besen Family Foundation, Inner North Community Foundation, Brian Davis Charitable Foundation, Banksia Gardens Community Services, Arts House, donors Amy Hubbard and Crispen Butteriss (Asha Daan Trust) and Merri-bek City Council.