Portals | This Is Not Improvised

Friday, 8 November 2024, 15:00-18:00 & 19:00
Saturday, 9 November 2024, 11:00-14:00, 15:00 & 19:00

Portals, by W.I.P Labs, explores alternative, experimental, and critical art. Acting as a gateway into new, uncharted spaces, it provokes a deeper reflection on the challenges we face today.

Portals symbolise transitions, transformations, and crossings between different states or dimensions of human experience and understanding. Whether as allegorical gateways to enlightenment, phenomenological engagements with the world we exhibit, or deconstructive challenges to traditional boundaries, Portals serve as a rich metaphor offering insights into the lived experiences of today.

Thematic programming brings Portals to life, with each month showcasing a new artistic expression through workshops, performances, talks, and exhibitions curated by W.I.P Labs.
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November 2024 Programme Highlights

Programming in November ventures into the dynamic intersection of art and technology, focusing on the practice of Improvisation in the Arts.

DAY 1
Friday, 8 November 2024, 15:00-18:00
Theatre Improv Workshop: Being Oobvious! (DAY 1/2)

Workshop facilitator Sumit, an experienced theatre artist and improviser, will introduce participants to fundamental improv techniques like “Yes, And,” spontaneity, listening, and collaboration. Suitable for all levels; no prior experience needed.

About the Facilitator:
Sumit is an experienced theatre performer, facilitator, theatre maker, and an improviser, with a decade-long journey in theatre. Currently, he is at Pathways School Noida, where he passionately merges performance and education as a Drama Facilitator, using drama-based learning to engage and inspire students. As a dedicated improv artist, Sumit has spent the last 7 years working as an Improviser and facilitator with Playground Improv. His work in this space has garnered widespread positive feedback, particularly for his ability to create a safe and inclusive environment where participants can explore the art of improvisation without fear. Sumit's approach is rooted in the use of drama conventions and innovative techniques, which help participants develop their spontaneity, storytelling, and emotional expressiveness. Sumit is also trained in Street Clowning by Stravros Krillos and Marua Habia from HsHs Clown, Egypt. He deeply believes in the magic of clowning as a tool to connect with emotions and enhance Improvisational skills. Beyond his individual Work, Sumit co-founding “The Uncooked” a collective dedicated to working with children through clowning, storytelling, and drama, further demonstrating his commitment to using theatre as a transformative tool for connection and creativity.

Friday, 8 November 2024, 19:00
Performance: Call & Response - Dance & Music Improv

Call and Response is an IMPROVISED performance inviting dancers and musicians that juxtaposes natural and urban soundscapes, exploring how the body responds to sounds of nature and the city. The performance is led by Aabshaar Wakhloo (Dancer) & beatnyk (Sound Artist).

About the Artists:
Aabshaar Wakhloo is a dancer/performer, choreographer and bodybased practitioner and facilitator based in Delhi. Her work as an artist along interdisciplinary lines, engages in the intersections of research and practice of the body. She is currently working at Aagaaz Theatre Trust to build the Adult Literacy Program - ‘Fursat mein Akshar’. She completed her Bachelors in Dance, Context and Choreography from Inter-University for Dance Berlin (HZT Berlin).

beatnyk is a Delhi-based sound artist who operates at the intersection of sound art, design, and technology, in conjunction with natural soundscapes and live performances. His practice involves listening as an act of conservation, creating works that provoke the audience to listen more intently to both the natural and the unnatural soundscape.
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DAY 2
Saturday, 9 November 2024, 11:00-14:00
Theatre Improv Workshop: Being Oobvious! (DAY 2/2)
Continued from day 1.

Saturday, 9 November 2024, 15:00
Film Screening: That’s Just It

Documentary following sound artist Jay B Kreimer’s journey through India as he transforms everyday objects into experimental instruments.

About the Filmmaker
Pooja Usha, an Indian independent filmmaker, started her career in TV commercials, refining her skills as a creative director before transitioning to independent filmmaker. With over a decade in the industry, she has gained experience working on various formats, including feature films and documentaries. In the last five years, Pooja has focused on writing, directing and producing documentaries, brand films and regional films.

Saturday, 9 November 2024, 19:00
Performance: Mixed Fruit Jamz

An Electro-Jazz performance featuring talented local artists, merging Jazz with Electronic music to make these genres more accessible to new audiences.

The November programming of "Portals" aims to illuminate the transformative potential of improv in art, inviting participants and attendees to witness the magic of improvisation.
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Work In Progress Labs (W.I.P Labs) is an artists' collective and an art platform that encourages and supports the alternative art scene. We are a platform run by artists, for artists. We aim to promote emerging voices across myriad art forms and backgrounds.

We promote, curate and produce works that challenge prevailing notions of art without compromising on criticality and aesthetics.

At W.I.P Labs, we are committed to finding new ways to foster the creative spirit by establishing the kind of cultural space we believe is needed in present times - fearless, transparent, encouraging, socially engaged and collaborative.
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