Drama as Nicosia International Festival continues

Two more cultural happenings will be in the spotlight this week as the Nicosia International Festival moves into its fourth week. A contemporary dance performance by a French-Malian choreographer will present the true reality of racism while popular Cypriot artist PASHIAS will showcase an art exhibition.

Both events happen on Thursday. At 8.30pm, the Never Twenty One performance will take over the Nicosia Municipal Theatre, referring to the #Never21 hashtag coined by the Black Lives Matter movement. The contemporary dance production by choreographer and dancer Smail Kanouté pays tribute to the victims of gun violence in New York, Rio and Johannesburg who will never turn 21.

Never Twenty One presents a vision of humanity, inspired by the heartbreaking reality of the violence that has resulted in so many deaths of young black men. The piece reflects on the impact of colonialism and racism and examines the persistence of ancestral rites as a way of affirming identity. The three powerful dancers, perform very physical, intense movements rooted in street styles (krumping, popping), contemporary dance idioms, and the baile funk and pasinho of South America. Their graffitied torsos are inscribed with testimonials from victims’ families and the evils they have suffered. Like wandering spirits, they tell the audience about these stolen and broken lives.

Just before the Never Twenty One performance, the festival will host the opening of the exhibition by visual artist PASHIAS titled Fresh Fish, as part of this year’s Parallel Program. The exhibition is an evolution of the live performance Ω3 that took place at Eleftheria Square in May, in the context of the #acceptance series organised by the festival.

The exhibition explores the ‘uncommon’ through mythical figures in a contemporary interpretation. The artist’s body – half human, half fish – repeats itself, taking shape in multiplicity to prove its uniqueness. With references to frescoes of the Cycladic civilization, futuristic architectural structures, toy dolls and objects of everyday use or consumption, PASHIAS composes a cultural tableau of the society we all inhabit, the water we all swim in. Curated by Maria Efstathiou, the exhibition will run until November 19, open every day of the week and one hour before each scheduled performance.

Never Twenty One

Contemporary dance production by choreographer and dancer Smail Kanouté. Part of the Nicosia International Festival. October 26. Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. Tickets at www.soldoutticketbox.com,  Stephanis shops and at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre box office. Tel: 22-797979

Fresh Fish

Exhibition by PASHIAS. Part of the Nicosia International Festival. October 26-November 19. Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia. Monday-Friday: 10am-1pm and 1 hour before each scheduled performance. www.pashias.art/fresh-fish. Tel: 22-797979