Reza Mirabi
Early 2023, MDT in Stockholm and Veem House for Performance in Amsterdam had an open call for two research residencies for dance artists. The chosen artists were Stockholm based artist Stella Kruusamägi and Amsterdam based artist Reza Mirabi. Stella went to Amsterdam for a a residency at Veem House in May 2023. We are thrilled to welcome Resa at MDT in October 2023!
In 2009, Reza Mirabi lived with a couple in South India who had chosen to settle on a deserted piece of land with a complex history. This land had been deforested during centuries of colonial influence, used as a peanut farm, and eventually left barren due to the depletion of topsoil and vegetation. The couple's radical decision upon arrival was to regenerate this land using only seeds. Through diligent efforts over several years, they transformed the once-barren terrain into a flourishing forest and garden, home to rare plant species. Since years, they now collect seeds from these plants and share them with people across the country. Mirabi's research also delves into the care and cultivation of these seeds, with a particular emphasis on nurturing them. Radical friendships, known for their potential to renegotiate the boundaries between individuals, play a critical role as fertile ground for these seeds to sprout and thrive. Throughout his research, pigeons, and various other birds as found in nature, mythology and fable, act as companions, offering insights into the intricate relationship between seeds, togetherness, and adaptation during precarity and times of crisis.
For his residency at MDT, Reza Mirabi draws inspiration from this memory as he investigates the role of seeds during times of crisis. His inquiry expands the concept of seeds, considering them not only in their literal form but also metaphorically. This broader perspective encompasses practices, ideas, narratives, myths, conversations, and relationships that function as seeds. In this sense, each of us carries seeds within them—seeds passed down, nurtured, practiced, needing preservation or release. How can we become more aware of the seeds we carry?
This residency is part of Life Long Burning – Futures lost and found project (2023-2026) supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.