East Timor has been a place of immense creative inspiration over the years, since I first reached Dili as a wildly inexperienced videographer in 2010. I've met many incredible characters along the way - a lot of it owing to Chris Parkinson who wrote the first book about the street art scene in East Timor. Since meeting in 2011 we've travelled several times to work on a variety of creative development ideas through grants primarily from Arts Vic and Melbourne Uni. Our hub has been Dili's free art school Arte Moris which has produced a number of internationally recognised artists including painters, actors, poets, sculptors and musicians. It's a scene that will likely be a part of my life for many decades to come, with many new projects currently in the pipeline.
Feature Documentary: This is Reality (in development)
I am currently working on a feature documentary with East Timorese actor / poet / ex-resistance fighter Osme Gonsalves. Get in touch if you'd like to learn more about it.
Arte Publiku: East Timor's First Public Art Festival (2014)
Role: Festival Documentation & Installation Projection Art
In August 2014, we began an involvement with East Timor's first ever public art festival named Arte Publiku. The festival was a combination of music, art, dance, performance and all things creative, encouraging nation building and creative exchange through a week of workshops and live performances. I participated by filming the event, and creating a collaborated projection piece by filming East Timorese poetry. Below are three poems by East Timorese actor Osme Gonsalves.
Timor-Leste Independence Day (2015)
A short video made in collaboration with a handful of Timorese artists, lead by the brilliant Etson Caminha. The idea was to film a handful of artists across different mediums responding to the theme of national identity to coincide with the national day of celebration. But there was also an element of protest to the concept, with local artists unhappy about the amount of resources being invested in the celebration of the first Portuguese landing in Timor, a date which saw the start of a long line of colonialism in this tiny nation.
Gertrude St Projection Festival: Animatism Installation (2014)
Role: Concept, Video Direction & Production
Midway through 2014, the Animatism project received funding to bring out three of East Timorese's finest artists to make a mural and projection installation for the Gertrude Projection festival. Tony, Alfe and Etson are all renowned painters in East Timor, although projected art installations are yet to appear back home. So to capitalise on their artistic skills we set up a studio at the Fitzroy community art centre and had them freely pain the reverse of the glass. The idea was aimed at allow audiences to see their process, but also for that process to become a performance within itself. Luckily for us, the project won the 2014 Walker Abercrombie Judge's Award. Collaborating artists: Etson Caminha, Alfe Perreira and Tony Amaral, Chris Parkinson, Michael Fikaris and Michael Meneghetti.
Animatism: Exhibitions and Creative Exchange in Melbourne & Dili (2012)
Role: Creative producer, campaign design & video production
After the Myths and Murals project was nearing completion, I returned to East Timor with Chris Parkinson in late 2013 to record a greatly expanded project covering dance, music, performance and visual art with workshops leading to a large scale exhibition at the Arte Moris facility. The project also continued the commitment to cross cultural exchange with Australia - this time we were joined by a Melbourne street artist, a break dance instructor, and a musician with a passion for sampling local sounds and beats. The project now takes the name Animatism (a cross between Animism and Animate) and there will be more to come including - we hope - a 30 minute documentary to be aired on network TV.
Campaign Website:
www.animatismart.com
Video Series
Myths and Murals: Funding street art throughout East Timor (2011)
Myths and Murals was my first joint project with Chris Parkinson, and my first chance to travel with Chris to Dili and the surrounds to document local street art. The idea of the project was to paint one large mural in each province of East Timor, all lead by the free art school Arte Moris, with the theme of each mural drawing on local traditions and teased out trough public workshops.
These Walls Can Talk: Chronicling East Timor's Street Art Scene (2010)
2010 marked my first trip to East Timor, and I really did have no idea what to expect. I was there on a job for the Oak Tree foundation, halfway through a year long backpacking adventure in SE Asia. I still remember arriving at the departure gates in Singapore and marvelling at the sea of foreign dignitaries boarding the plane - there were more UN lanyards and leather laptop cases than there were local Timorese. What was this place? The overwhelming UN presence became a traveller’s first impression of this new nation, but from the moment I stepping off the plane it was the street art that became a lasting impression. The old decaying walls were splashed with colour at every intersection, I was instantly hooked. Upon my return I cut this video together through which I met the honourable Chris Parkinson, with whom I've travelled to this beautiful country many times since.
Black Jesus & Timor Gaul Dance Crew (2010)
Many thanks
Massive thanks to Chris Parkinson for introducing me to all his incredible East Timor projects and connections. And of course - to my Timorese friends in Dili: Etson, Alfie, Tony, Iliwatu, Mariano, Tutu, Thomas and everyone at Arte Moris, a huge thanks.
Find out more at www.animatismart.com