Late at Tate June 2012: Migration Redefined

Searching for new perspectives on identity and belonging through the exploration of new territories in art, music fashion and performance, Late at Tate June 2012 mixed migrations, imagination and magic last month to create an evening full of spectacle and sensuous sound.

Taking it’s inspirations from the Migrations Exhibition (currently at Tate Britain) Late at Tate provided an opportunity for young Londoner’s to curate their own evening inside Tate’s walls with some absolutely fabulous results! Looking back, we’d now like to take a moment to share some of the highlights from the night with you.

Turning on the mood lighting in gallery 9 and mixing the old with the new, the historic collection played host to word and graphic artist Iuna Ellams and the Roundhouse’s poetry collective, Elephant, whose readings reflected the complex nature of migration, movement and contemporary identity.

Taking the stage shortly afterwards, Halo Halo continued by flooding that gallery with eclectic sound experimenting with the combination of voice, banjo and drums.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the Manton Studio, the Migrations of Sound workshop created a soundscape composed of vocal responses to the core GBAD’s questions. Layering sound upon sound of looped, stacked and filtered voice, visitors were encouraged to create a real time sound collage.

For those hunting a festival feel, the Manton Lawn Stage featured sets by The Heatwave and Akala, that brought a crowd to the front of Tate Britain.

In addition to workshops and performances all over the building, the gallery was also host to a passing parade of the elegant and unusual, beautiful and bizarre as the garments of 35 young creatives were shown from the University of the Arts. Each individually crafted as a response to the theme of Migration using print, jewellery or costume design.

On a more contemplative note, ‘On the Other Side of Diaspora’ saw artist Zineb Sedira, (featured in GBAD’s Family Matters exhibition) guest host a discussion on the influences of globalisation, mobility and displacement on contemporary culture and art practice. A discussion that helped fuel GBAD’s live online debate which asked people to respond to the question, ‘What does ‘British’ mean to you?’

If you were at Late at Tate June 2012 and have a favourite memory, we would love to hear your stories or memories.

Posted on by Amy Jackson-Bruce
Filed under Blog

About Amy Jackson-Bruce

Amy Jackson-Bruce is the new Online Co-Ordinator for The Great British Art Debate.

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