Work is an important element of an individual’s sense of self-worth, their quality of life and social relationships. Throughout history people have been singing together in order to endure hard working conditions. Music and labour are intrinsically connected, playing a central role in the community building.
Theatre director Sanja Mitrović proposed an alternative reading of traditional working songs at an event organised at the Ancienne Belgique music venue in Brussels in January 2021. In the set up reminiscent of a live concert, a number of guests were invited to interpret a selection of working songs. The contributors included Miss Angel (with DJ Black Mamba), DJ Rokia Bamba, Lander Gyselinck (with Simon Jermyn and Hendirk Lasure), Tarek Halaby (with Simon Thierree and Carlos Garbin), Ana Naqe (with Suhamet Latifi, Enrique Noviello and Sali Ramadan), and Joelle Sambi (with Nicolas Pommier). They were adapting songs varying from those describing hardships of forced labour to the ones celebrating the workers’ communities and labour as joy. The reinterpretation of songs on the AB main stage, as well short as conversations with the participating artists, were filmed and recorded live but without an audience due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Working Songs Vol. 1 is a part of a PhD artistic research which Mitrović is conducting at the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema & Sound (RITCS) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
90’ - EN.NL.FR – EN
In presence of Sanja Mitrović
Geldende covid-maatregelen: toegang met covid safe pas
