The Future Is Now: Conversations with Leyli Gafarova and Elena Ishchenko

Review the discussion with Elena Ishchenko

Podcast by Leyli Gafarova

Simon Dove: Hi, as well as welcome to The Future Is Currently, a podcast collection from CEC ArtsLink. My name is Simon Dove. I’m the executive supervisor of CEC ArtsLink. As well as for this podcast collection, we asked 10 independent musicians as well as managers from various components of the globe, whom we call the Future Fellows, to discuss the present context of their job as well as to share their vision for just how they see the future of arts technique. In this episode, we learn through Leyli Gafarova, based in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Leyli Gafavora: Hi. My name is Leyli. I’m a filmmaker as well as, given that 2016, have actually co-founded a self-organized, community-based movie theater as well as art room called Salaam Movie theater. We do really process-based job, arrange various social occasions, primarily focusing on audiovisual as well as performative arts. I’m based in Baku, Azerbaijan, as is Salaam Movie theater. It arises from neighborhood demands due to the fact that originally we really felt there was a room similar to this missing out on in the city: an art room which is not an institute, not a gallery, not a tidy white wall surface room, however a room that we can get in as well as seem like house.

Given that 2015, alternate areas began to arise in the city, primarily self-organized kinds of neighborhood organizations. So coffee shops where young people can go as well as rest as well as be themselves. Yet in regards to our areas, there was practically none. As well as most definitely no room which would certainly exercise a straight framework. So also if there were some independent instances, having a male supervisor was typically a crucial aspect.

We reside in a culture that is significantly based upon pecking orders– your sex, social course, sexual preference, as well as also ethnic background play a huge component of what you can attain, also if you have accessibility to society. So someplace automatically arranging the room was a response to the status of the social state in Azerbaijan. At the exact same time, it was a response to gentrification of the city.

A great deal of historic structures were knocked down as well as made area for these dreadful high-rise buildings. Also historic structures were not suggested for society however ended up being room for conventional points like KFC, and so on. Out of these truths … as well as I would certainly not state we had this significant scholastic aware strategy; it was really user-friendly. Okay, we miss out on such an area, allow’s do it. As well as we begin and afterwards individuals begin ahead with paint as well as brushes as well as they intended to add. This is just how it ended up being a neighborhood room.

There is a substantial listing of various challenges. I will certainly simply call a couple of. Regrettably, we’re still in this seventeenth-century scenario where you need to be fortunate to be able to exercise arts. It’s primarily individuals from musicians’ households or monetarily fortunate households that can exercise art. As I stated, pecking orders based upon sex as well as social course play a substantial value in the ease of access of arts, however additionally with sex.

As an example, when we arrange curricula, a theater research laboratory, for half the girls taking part, their moms and dads ought to not understand that they’re pertaining to a theater course. Due to the fact that if their patriarchal traditional daddies learn that, 4 times a week, they’re dancing with children, as well as they have a particular suggestion concerning what acting is for a lady, this is a trouble. I would certainly not state I have a response immediately just how we as musicians can deal with or resolve it however we can most definitely resolve it.

One more issue is institutional discrimination. We have a number of instances, also in the art institute popular, well-respected older generation teachers, movie supervisors, enable themselves to comment points like: “A lady can never ever be a supervisor” or, “As a lady, you will certainly make no opportunity,” or make really purposeful differences in between sex. I’m not mosting likely to also discuss sexual preference minorities. This is totally impossible to go over. We as a cumulative stand for really fluid kinds of identifications. We wish to produce an extra forgiving, equivalent, comprehensive, as well as risk-free setting in the arts to make sure that variety of individuals really feel risk-free as well as have accessibility to exercise society.

As musicians, what can we do? A whole lot. We can resolve this things in our very own technique, whatever tool we’re operating in. A growing number of, my count on the establishments– does not matter where– has actually come to be much less as well as much less. I have actually never ever really felt risk-free in organized methodical establishments that manage really various as well as concrete techniques. There ought to be extra noninstitutional institutes, run by musicians with kinds of straight strategy, which is extremely tough. There are a great deal of attractive instances we can check out these procedures of commoning as well as self-organized systems in various components of the globe. Yet really little we read about troubles they are dealing with on a daily basis due to the fact that straight procedure is a lengthy procedure, needs you continuously examine your very own vanity.

It requires a consistent energetic type of add-on to this belief. As well as when you have a variety of individuals, of demands, of personalities, whether somebody is an autist or exhibitionist, it makes it so tough, however additionally so intriguing to learn more about on your own much better, an experiment on a mini range of just how a culture can cohabit, standing for various suggestions. As a result of this self-governing layout, we enable ourselves to make blunders, are continuously attempting various methods in our shows, our strategy, our option procedure, our growth procedure.

We see the scenario of COVID: all these insane lockdowns, economic issues, individuals stuck at house often with their actual traditional households. We additionally experienced battle. That was a substantial effect on our mental state, truly tough. So we drew the line on all our strategies as well as stated, “Okay, allow’s consider just how we can produce a drastically various strategy.” As an example, this theater laboratory we’re doing currently for a number of months: we are finding out to improvisate with dance as well as acting 2 times a week, where the major objective is to have a good time. This resembled, “Okay, whatever we do, whether you wish to do any kind of efficiency at the end, or efficiency weekly, we are choosing everything jointly.”

Yet the major function is to forget whatever taking place outside; currently, simply focus on your wellness, your self-care, caring for each various other, as well as have a great deal of enjoyable. We are seldom permitted to have a good time. We need to be continuously so efficient, produce every one of this things, be anywhere. We fail to remember to have a good time. This was not our first suggestion, however with the procedure we comprehended, the essence is allow’s have a good time with each other in an extreme type, as well as see what occurs.

It’s prematurely to state what type of influence it will certainly have. I’m a really confident individual, however attempting to stay sensible in regards to the truths that I’m staying in. This twenty-year-old me that can think that we can alter whatever as well as it ought to be really magnificent and so forth– that component does not exist any longer. We focus on private instances. If there is a single person that would certainly alter in some way or really feel much better, for us, it’s currently a substantial point. We, as a company, are additionally taking part. There is no line in between the individuals as well as the coordinators of the research laboratory, which is extremely crucial. We are opening up; we really feel much better emotionally.