In Visible Ink, in its second year, is a festival dedicated to making the invisible, the little known or erased narratives of people and communities marginalised by race and religion visible through a carefully curated program of performances, readings, tours, panel session, talks, film and song.
The full program for In Visible Ink is available here: www.invisibleink.ink/full-program-2021
The 2021 In Visible Ink program includes an impressive line-up of social justice luminaries, artists, authors, conversationalists, poets, and musicians participating in a range of conversations, performances, panel sessions, workshops and tours. Participants include indigenous artist and leader Shaun Nannup; Professor Len Collard; Community Arts Network’s CEO, Monica Kane; Yindjibarndi woman and cultural planner Michelle Broun; artists Lilly Blue, Jo Pollitt and Marziya Mohammedali; and theatre-maker, director and community advocate, Jay Emmanuel.
Some program highlights include:
● The Furnace
(https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip/in-visible-ink/illuminating-darkness)
This film illuminates the forgotten history of Australia’s ‘Ghan’ cameleers, predominantly Muslim and Sikh men from India, Afghanistan and Persia. The Furnace was also one of the only cultural exports in the film industry in 2020 when it debuted at the Venice Film Festival.
● Out of Sight and out to Sea: telling stories of childhood lost through theatre and creative narrative
(https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip/in-visible-ink/out-of-sight-out-to-sea)
This play shares the journeys of young maritime refugees who came to Australia by boat. Using satire and humour, the play centres around the stories of four characters who struggle with ideas of home, identity, adolescence and love as they navigate the absurdities of the adult world in which they drift.
● That was my home: voices from the Noongar Camps (https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip/in-visible-ink/that-was-my-home)
Explores the hidden histories of the Noongar camps around Fremantle, Swanbourne and Shenton Park. The voices of Noongar people, juxtaposed with information from the archives, photographs and stories from others in the community, tell of life in the camps, work, cross-cultural tensions and friendships.
MFT CEO Shaheen Hughes, said there was a groundswell of enthusiasm for meaningful discussion and thought-provoking content right now.
“This is a festival for those that have a point of view, for those with curious minds and for those that embrace thought-provoking, at times challenging and confronting discussion, history and culture. “In Visible Ink was launched in 2019 to create a platform for those people and communities that haven’t always had one due to marginalisation because of race or religion. And this year, it has possibly never been more relevant considering some of the enlightening discussions that have been ignited in communities across the globe following the Black Lives Matter movement.
“This festival unites thought-leaders and artists with very diverse backgrounds and perspectives to bring to the fore some of the hidden stories and biases and to challenge and question thought, behaviours and societal ‘norms’, through an art-based program of events.
“The result is a compelling, collaborative, multi-faceted and inclusive program intended to contribute to the breakdown of racism, intolerance through art, story-telling and values-based education.”
Tickets are available now and can be purchased here: http://www.invisibleink.ink/2021