with :

Athar Ahmed, Khaldoon Ahmed, Sharlene Bamboat, Irene Chan, Ook Chung, Richard Fung, Ashim Halder Sagor, Risa Hatayama, Alice Ming Wai Jim, Shié Kasai, Helen Lee, Mihee-Nathalie Lemoine, Elisha Lim, Pranay Limbu, Jenny Lin, Divya Mehra, Jihee Min, Asma Mundrawala, Edward Ou Jin Lee, Holly Rodricks, Tejal Shah, Cheryl Sim, Roger Sinha

Diasporasie brings together artists, theoreticians, and militants whose work raises and develops questions related to North-East and South Asian diasporas. Video projections, performance, workshop, and discussion will address issues surrounding the complex relations between culture, ethnicity, political and geographic boundaries: how they become deployed in social and political spheres, the intimate ways they resonate when we attempt to articulate notions of identity, and how interpersonal relations are structured by them.

Diasporasie is intended to be a participatory forum for exchanges and reflections of critical importance within the current Canadian political climate. Indeed, it seems that the proliferation of cultural exchanges, rather than increasing the porosity of boundaries (intimate, social or national…) is used by many to justify a simplification of concepts of identity. This leads to the appalling radicalization of interpersonal differences and an environment of fear.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4

Place : articule (262 Fairmount O.)

6h30pm : Opening
7h30pm : Video screening : Monitor 6 : New South Asian Short Film and Video presented by SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Centre)
Curator : Richard Fung (Toronto)

- Barber of Bangalore, Roger Sinha, Canada, 2008, 6min 30s
- The Art of Archery in East London, Khaldoon Ahmed, Royaume-Uni, 2008, 7min
- A Story of Nida Known as Pasha Ali, Athar Ahmed, Pakistan, 2008, 7min 30s
- Tapestry, Sharlene Bamboat, Canada, 2009, 6min 30s
- Love Song, Asma Mundrawala, Pakistan, 2008, 1min
- There is a spider living between us, Tejal Shah, Inde, 2008, 6min
- The Importance of Being Earnest, Divya Mehra, Canada, 2008, 3min
- Forgive, Forget Not!, Pranay Limbu, Népal, 2008, 20min
- Partition, Holly Rodricks, États-Unis, 2009, 8 min
- Let’s Drink, Ashim Halder Sagor, Bangladesh, 2008, 1min

Monitor 6: New South Asian Short Film and Video presents poetic, political and humorous short films and videos that explore the performativity of gender while drawing on personal narratives, communal rituals and critiques of mass culture.


SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5

Place : MAI (Montréal Arts Interculturels) (3680 Jeanne-Mance)
1 – 4pm : Atelier : PhotoVoice with Edward Ou Jin Lee

Photovoice is an innovative, community-based and visual participatory research methodology. Its purpose is to bring together queer people of colour through photography and critical dialogue. This process allows for the reflection and sharing of everyday realities in order to produce knowledge about personal and community strengths and concerns while engaging in dialogue and advocacy with policy makers and service providers. It is a creative pathway that draws a bridge between producing knowledge, informing policy, building community and engaging in artistic practices.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5

Place : La Centrale (4296 St-Laurent)
6pm : Video screening : DiasporAsie projection Vidéo/Film : Montréal
Curator : Mihee-Nathalie Lemoine (Montréal)

- My Niagara, Helen Lee, Canada, 1992, 40min
- A Video, Jihee Min, Canada, 2005, 1min 36s
- Transfer point, Jenny Lin, Canada, 2007, 5min 23s
- Disadoption, Mihee-Nathalie Lemoine, Canada, 2008, 2min
- A Few Colourful Phrases, Cheryl Sim, Canada, 1995, 12min 45s
- P2P/Peer to Painting, Shié Kasai, Canada, 2009, 15min
- Deux monologues, Risa Hatayama, Canada, 2008, 10min
- I Scream Minjihee, Jihee Min, Canada, 2011, 3min 59s
- Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?, Mihee-Nathalie Lemoine, Canada, 2010, 1min 40s

This program explores the identity, gender, art, and psyché of those who chose to be outside (of their birthplace, of where they were raised, of their biological characteristics…).

Place : La Centrale (4296 St-Laurent)
8pm : Discussion
Moderator : Alice Ming Wai Jim.
With Richard Fung, Ook Chung, Jihee Min, Mihee-Nathalie Lemoine, Sharlene Bamboat

This discussion will raise questions relating to identity in regards to Asian diasporas.


SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6

Place : articule (262 Fairmount O.)
7pm : Performance
Irene Chan, An ABC (American Born Chinese) Rediscovers Appearance, 60min, 2010

With this performance, the artist explores wether old stereotypes affect how others see her today and wether growing up with an American popular media has affected how she sees herself with other Asians. Come travel back and forth in time to revisit the impact of Asian stereotypes in American history and films.

Place : articule (262 Fairmount O.)
8h30pm : Closing reception