Radialsystem - Encounters

Curatorial Practice in Dialogue

Who is it that develops festival programmes, series, or an organisation’s artistic profile? And how does bringing those concepts into being come about? Alongside the artistic direction, it’s freelance curators who carve out space in which artists and audiences can encounter one another, who assume critical vantage points and who seek out new forms for the presentation of artistic creation in public spaces.

“Encounters” is the inaugural dialogue format at Radialsystem for grappling with curatorial practice at the start of 2021: “Encounters” devotes time and space to realising, enlarging, and developing curatorial concepts – and reaches beyond the pressure of implementing a specific project. Sandhya Daemgen, Raphael Hillebrand and Martha Hincapié Charry have been invited as guest curators; they are three artists from the field of dance and choreography, who, alongside their work for the stage, are active freelance curators and have already worked at Radialsystem. Here, the focus of their research lies in the interplay between choreography and the practice of curation – the point of departure is the idea that the concept of choreography is not limited to dance, and rather describes the interrelation of movement of bodies in time and space.

In a period starting in January 2021 to the end of 2022, Sandhya Daemgen, Raphael Hillebrand and Martha Hincapié Charry have the opportunity to develop their work in dialogue with Radialsystem’s artistic direction and with international partners from differing spheres of knowledge and artistic disciplines, and to reflect their own perspectives in transdisciplinary exchange. At the same time, they cast a critical gaze over Radialsystem’s artistic work. Focus lies in broadening fundamental curatorial lines of enquiry: how are we able to expose cultural hierarchies in programming? How can interpretive authorities be interrogated and changed with the help of curatorial work? Which social groups are addressed and which are excluded? Within the framework of public discussions, workshops or other formats, the three guest curators’ research can be presented in both Radialsystem’s analogue and virtual spaces.

“Encounters” closes a gap in funding for the development of curatorial choreographic concepts. As (pre)conceptual work independent of specific projects typically seldom receives funding, the focus of this project does not fall on the realisation of an existing artistic intention. “Encounters” has been made possible by “Tanzpakt Reconnect”, a country-wide programme that aims to strengthen dancers’ artistic working conditions and structures in the long-term during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Encounters“ is a Radialsystem project and is supported by DIEHL+RITTER/TANZPAKT RECONNECT, sponsored by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media within the framework of the NEUSTART KULTUR dance support programme.

Sandhya Daemgen

The Berlin-based artist Sandhya Daemgen is a choreographer, musician, dancer and lecturer, and develops interdisciplinary performances between body, voice and sound. As a singer, dancer and violinist, she has worked with internationally renowned artists such as Tino Sehgal, Arcade Fire, Ari Benjamin Meyers, The Residents and Heiner Goebbels, and has performed worldwide. At Radialsystem, she has developed, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic, the (online)format “What’s That Noise?”, which is dedicated to Pauline Oliveros’ music and Deep Listening technique.

Raphael Hillebrand

Born in Hong Kong to German and West African parents and raised in Berlin, Raphael Hillebrand uses his multi-faceted cultural background to realise his vision of hip hop dance theatre. As the brainchild and founding member of the world’s first hip hop political party, Die Urbane, he campaigns for, among other things, decolonialisation, empowerment and cultural diversity. Raphael Hillebrand was a guest at radialsystem in 2014 with “Dialogic Movement“, a forum for contemporary urban culture unique to Berlin. In October 2020, he was honoured with the German Dance Award for “outstanding artistic developments in dance”.

Martha Hincapié Charry

Martha Hincapié Charry is Colombian and of indigenous ancestry. She is a BIPOC artist, choreographer, dancer, and curator and lives and works in Berlin. She studied dance theatre and solo dance at the Folkwang University in Essen under the direction of Pina Bausch and, in 2019, was awarded a scholarship from the Pina Bausch Fellowship for dance and choreography. As of 2011, she has been Plataforma/SurReal Berlin’s artistic director. For many years, most of which without funding, the festival has created space for dialogue between continents, giving a platform to such topics as climate change, (de)coloniality and the relationship between art, human, and nature.