[van-announce] Rhizome: Collaborative Method, Collective Media

[Programming & Communications]

Radical Rhizome

Collaborative Method, Collective Media
from Birmingham 1986 to Vancouver 2003
presented by Video In


8  PM  Tuesday May 20, 2003
Video In
1965 Main St.
$3-8

Info.
  Jen Weih
604 872 8337
exhibit at telus.net



This Rhizome will explore the past and present of community based 
media production featuring local youth media activist group Peer 
Perspectives and Pervaiz Khan, a major participant in Britain's 
Workshop movement of the 1980's. Witness the uncanny parallel that 
exists between Vancouver and Hansworth Songs a video made almost 20 
years ago about a decaying inner city neglected in favour of an 
Olympic Bid. Peer Perspectives will introduce their unique and 
creative strategy for opening up class room discussion of challenging 
issues such as discrimination, identity, sexual and substance abuse.



Two decades ago in Britain the Workshop Production Declaration of 
1982 allowed non-professional media arts groups to access  media 
industry resources and distribution channels in Britain. While the 
New Right dominated the political landscape under Thatcher's 
government, the work of co-operatives such as Black Audio Film 
Collective and Sankofa redefined British cinema with alternative 
voices, hybrid forms, explorations of identity and diasporic 
experience.

Peer Perspectives is a youth-driven, video-based series of resource 
packages that take fresh approaches to long-standing social problems. 
Rooted in a belief in community-based advocacy, Peer Perspectives 
draws from the stories and experiences of a culturally diverse youth 
to create educational resources that 'speak to youth' about issues 
that are hard to get students to discuss. Issues like discrimination, 
identity, sexual and substance abuse.

Handsworth Songs (John Akomfrah, 1986) This film considers the 
problems of a neglected inner city area overshadowed by an 
extravagant Olympic bid and increasing tensions between the community 
and the police.
The parallels to Vancouver's current situation are obvious.

excerpts
Racism for Reel: Media for Change  2002
Equipped with cameras, a diverse group of BC youth set out to expose 
the realities of internalized and systemic racism and find ways to 
help dismantle and overcome it.

excerpts
Outlet: Queer Youth Speak Out   2002
Featuring candid stories about the challenges of coming out, Outlet 
reminds us how complex identity is and how rarely people are 
supported in exploring it. Above all, this video celebrates people 
for having the courage to be true to themselves--whatever their 
orientation.

Pervaiz Khan (http://www.duende.co.uk), who worked on Handsworth 
Songs and continues to be a prominent and respected filmmaker, artist 
and activist, will join this Radical Rhizome event at Video In by 
live Web cast from Birmingham, UK. Pervaiz has won British Film 
Institute awards for his film programming work. 

Jonathan Eric Tyrrell (http://www.timebased.info), filmmaker, digital 
artist and educator moved to Vancouver from Birmingham in 1999.

-- 

Jen Weih
Exhibitions and Programming Coordinator
Video In
1965 Main St.
Vancouver BC V5T 3C1
exhibit at telus.net
t. 604.872 8337
f. 604 876 1185
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