BARTALK

In our final episode of Apologies & Atonement, we look at a local example of institutional apologies and speak with Sofia Hernández Chong Cuy, director of Kunstinstituut Melly. Since 2018, Sofia is the director of Melly, the institution formerly known as Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam. Witte de With is a name attached to the colonial legacy of the Netherlands and has been a subject of contention in the Dutch art world. 

In this episode, we speak with Sofia about the institutional transformation that comes with a name change, how she and her team navigated the politics inside and outside of the institution, and the role that humour should have in the art sector.

Hosted by Yun Lee and Rae Parnell
Produced by Hans Poel
Theme music by Sro - Bring Back and Chad Crouch - Algorithms

In episode 3 of “Apologies and Atonement”, We talk to social healer Lucas Johnson about his approach to nonviolence, the complexity of reconciling / healing from colonial pasts, and what it takes to build a future together.

We learn about how to think about non-violence as a muscle to be built, the role faith can have in conflict resolution, and how to show up bravely in all of our relationships.

Hosted by Yun Lee and Rae Parnell
Produced by Hans Poel
Theme music by Sro - Bring Back and Chad Crouch - Algorithms

Corporations have given some notoriously bad apologies. So for this episode, we invited corporate lawyer Roy Heesakkers to think with us on corporate apologies in the context of environmental, social and human rights transgressions. Roy encourages us to think about how we can participate in corporate reform, how we as communities can hold corporations accountable, and how to engage in these topics with nuance and complexity.

Hosted by Yun Lee & James Rae Parnell
Produced by Hans Poel
Transcribed by Sarafina van Ast

We are all taught that apologies are important to resolve conflicts. They have an important function in our society- in personal relationships, between governments and citizens, corporations and consumers, celebrities and fans.

But so often people are criticized for making bad apologies. In this BARTALK, we wonder: what makes a good apology? What are models of seeking atonement for your actions? What does justice look like for historical wrongdoings? What does it take to accept an apology?

In this episode Yun Lee talks to co-host James Parnell about interpersonal conflict, cancel culture, and why sorry seems to be the hardest word.

This is our very edition of BARTALK "Flashback" - a podcast episode where we invite guests from a past BARTALK to hear about how their work has developed since we last spoke.

As we descend into more COVID lockdowns and regulations, we thought it might lift our spirits to check in with some of the guests from our party crew from earlier this year. In this episode, Bogomir Doringer and Amber Vineyard discuss how party scenes and their own work have adapted and changed since we last spoke.

We chat about illegal parties in the parks of Berlin, the pros and cons of the Unmute Us protests, how their roles as artists and organizers are shaped by the back and forth of government regulations, and what Bogomir and Amber have learned from the lockdowns.

In the final episode of our translation and transcription season, we speak with artist Vivian Caccuri about her work listening to, synthesizing, and translating the sounds of the mosquito. We explore how and why mosquitos make their infamous sound, how colonialism has impacted species of mosquitos, how governments have politicized the image of the mosquito, and the beauty of researching socially stigmatized sounds. 

In episode 3 of Translation / Transcription, we talk to translator Xavier Bridault about his work as a translator, how legal parameters affect some translations, the mechanics of humour, how AI translators affect the ways we use and understand languages, how translation is used as a political tool, and how brands like McDonalds are translated to different cultural contexts.

In the second episode of Translation / Transcription, dancer and graphic designer Karina Dukalska shares her research on archiving dance in graphic notation. We talk about social dance, notation systems, preserving the cultural values of a dance and more.

Season 4! BARTALK looks into translation and transcription as creative practices. How does technology affect how humans translate? What are the politics of transcribing social dance as visual scores? What happens when we translate between species? What decisions are made in translation and who makes them? What is lost and gained in these translations?

In the first episode of Translation/Transcription, data scientist Ahnjili Zhuparris helps us demystify data science and the process of translating data into useful information. We also talk to her about the quantified self community, predictive policing algorithms, AI pickup artists, ethical AI and more.

Hosted by Yun Lee and Rae Parnell
Produced by Hans Poel
Theme music by Sro - Bring Back and Chad Crouch - Algorithms

In Episode 3 of Parties, artist Philip Vermeulen talks to us about bringing the club to the art world through his large-scale audiovisual kinetic installations, how his work replicate different states of mind in clubbing, and how he got so good at sober partying.

Follow Philip here:

In episode 2 of “Parties”, Rae and Yun talk to professional party animal, DJ, record label owner, mentor, and party organizer Khalil Riyahi. Khalil gives us the scoop on how he started his nightlife career, what makes a good party, the Dutch concept of a ‘night mayor’, and what alternatives people are exploring during the pandemic.

In season 3 we explore parties. For many of us it's been about a year since we've danced in a crowd, flirted in dark spaces, felt bass pumping through our bodies. So we're taking the time to look deep into different aspects of nightlife.

In this first episode, artist and curator Bogomir Doringer talks to us about his ongoing research and filming project "I Dance Alone" which observes clubbing from a birds-eye-view as a mirror of social and political changes. We talk about his clubbing background in Serbia, dance floors that he observed all over the world, and why people dance in times of crisis. 

In the final episode of our miniseries on Care, we talk to Sharona Lautoe and Xiomara Vírdo from the Black Trans Art and Joy Fund (BTAJF). We ask questions like what does it take to start a mutual aid fund? What does genuine allyship and solidarity look like? Why choose mutual aid instead of a charity model? And how do you create an environment where people feel comfortable reaching out for help?

The Black Trans Art & Joy Fund is a Dutch-based private initiative founded by Naïmah Janse, Sharona Lautoe and Xiomara Virdó that centers community care for Black Trans people (black trans women, black trans men and black trans non binary people). They organize crowdfunding initiatives, connect networks, and offer practical support to provide the community with space to create, share their art and legacy, and above all: experience joy.

The BTAJF team is a combination of black trans and black and white cis people who are focused on tangible change for the black trans community worldwide.

In this second episode of Care, Yun and Rae speak with Damani Leidsman about community care, power building, the dutch cultural sector and mentorship.

Damani Leidsman grew up in The Netherlands and Suriname. He is a performance artist, maker, educator, and freelance consultant and producer. Damani is mostly busy with  strengthening queer and black communities to create room for new radical art. Alongside his creative projects, he advises organisations on issues of talent development, art education, diversity and how to create a healthy creative climate.