On 24 September 2022 experimental multimedia trio Playgroup are hosting a merry, week-long artistic invasion of Melville. Improvisation, audience participation, film, poetry and music are on the cards, including cult favourite The Brother Moves On – who have a special trick up their sleeves for their performance writes MICK RAUBENHEIMER. He spoke to the co-founder of Playgroup, classical and new music pianist Jill Richards about what to expect.
How did Playgroup come about?
Jurgen Meekel (video and sound artist) and I have been working together since about 2015 – he created a piece (which then transmogrified into a Masters degree) using laser light and glow-in-the-dark paint, and we worked together on the soundtrack. Here’s a link to one iteration.
So then we were discussing a project between Berlin and Joburg (coming up next year) with an amazing Professor of Philosophy from Berlin, Stefan Winter, and that’s how we met BJ Engelbrecht (visual and sound artist), who is the third member of Playgroup.
We make field recordings (sound and video) and then create things from that. We love working together – we play a LOT and at the same time we make stuff.
Tell us more about your Swiss project?
I was approached by Julie Beauvais from Switzerland, who is heading up an online project called Openlab: the Witness. The project is focusing on the African continent and India this year. It’s funded by ProHelvetia, the Swiss cultural funding agency, who have been very generous to me in terms of projects and residencies. So that’s where she got my name. I suggested Playgroup for our year and she was happy with the idea. Here is a link to the work we have done so far.
September is our Focus Month as part of Sonic Excavations, when we will be uploading lots of material. We decided to focus on Melville because it’s still a great community (despite people who grumble about it) and it’s full of interesting people. And there’s a sense of community.
Tell us more about the friendly invasion of Melville.
First, we all live in Melville and we love it. And it’s great having all the creative people in the ‘hood. Also, we love working collaboratively, as well as doing interdisciplinary work. We decided that 7th Street in Melville is a place that lots of people know, and that it forms its own community – local residents, regulars, and visitors – who all enjoy the special vibe.
So we thought that it would be great to have a week-long event of sharing and creating.
We are going to rent the space in 7th Street next to Xai Xai, where Nuno’s used to be, from Saturday, 24 to Friday, 30 September. We are sharing it with The Brother Moves On, who will be launching their new album.
We are super excited about this because it’s going to be a week of creativity and collaboration – a playful and gentle artistic invasion of the street, which will hopefully include people dropping in and listening to music, taking part in discussions, watching movies, creating work with their cellphones and so on.
Who: Playgroup trio
Where: 7th Street next to Xai Xai, Melville,Johanneburg
When: 24 – 30 September 2022
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