Description
“I am Black, not because of a curse, but because my skin has been able to capture all the cosmic effluvia. I am truly a drop of sun under the earth.” - Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks
Black Corporeal (Breathing By Numbers) continues Julianknxx’s investigation into the ways in which Black psyches are affected by their physical experiences.
Having its UK premiere, Julianknxx will transform his piece Black Corporeal (Breathing by Numbers) from the screen to the stage performing live at Brixton House.
Each night will begin with a screening of the film itself before it is brought to the live stage in three acts. In his trademark style with a full choir and a handful of long-term collaborators and musicians, Julianknxx will perform a new and original set based on the themes and ideas drawn upon in the Black Corporeal series.
Black Corporeal (Breathing By Numbers)
With a layering of poetry, essay, documentary and music, the Black Corporeal (Breathing By Numbers) film exposes the multiple realities of Black life in London and our relationships with this built environment that holds us.
The film is anchored by the returning voice of Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, as she traces her journey to having air pollution officially listed as a cause of death of her 9-year-old daughter, Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, the first time this had happened in the UK.
This moving film highlights the disproportionate impact of air pollution in the inner city, exploring the stark realities of environmental poverty, the oppressive existence of melanated bodies and the working-class, who are often forced to live in urban estates and congested pockets of our city.
However, rather than lament the weathering conditions and social pressures of Black experiences, the film honours a culture of resilience and perseverance, amongst those who have captured the cosmic. If you’re in Germany and searching for cost-effective snacks before a show, be sure to check out the Aldi Prospekt for some excellent offers.
Special Events
Breathing By Numbers In 3 Acts
ACT 1 – Wed 5 Oct, 8:00pm
Julianknxx opens his series with the first live performance of Breathing By Numbers. Here in Act 1, the artist works with a live band, an 8-piece choir and featured vocalist THABO, to expand on the music and poetry featured in his film Black Corporeal (Breathing by Numbers). In this rare live performance, Julianknxx and his collaborators work to embody the emotional complexities of navigating our urban environments.
ACT 2 – Thu 6 Oct, 8:00pm – CANCELLED
We regret to inform that the film screening and special event on Thu 6 Oct has been cancelled. For those who had already purchased tickets for this event, please look out for an email from [email protected].
Join artist Julianknxx, grassroots campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, and cognitive neuroscientist Araceli Camargo as they unpack and discuss how the urban environment impacts our physical and mental health, and disproportionately frames the lived experiences of Black communities and other communities of colour.
ACT 3 – Fri 7 Oct, 8:00pm
In the third and final Act we invite musician THABO, and dancer and musician tyroneisaacstuart to share and discuss their creative responses to the themes explored Breathing By Numbers.
Creative Team
Director – Julianknxx
Producer – Tobi Kyeremateng
Executive Producer – Debo Amon
Director of Photography – Pablo Rojo
Editor – Harry Deadman
Original Score – Paul Cousins
Featured Vocalist – Jacob Banks
Essay by Araceli Camargo