IMAGINARY FUTURES

participatory virtual experiences June - August 2020 A project by Marcus Neustetter in collaboration with Aja Marneweck, Ciara Struwig, Elrico Plaatjies, Johannes Deetlefs, Manzikazi Scota, Mark Edwards, Mariette Erwee, Miné Kleynhans, Nataniël Pokwas, Ofentse Letebele, Paul Setate, Perseverance Mavuso, Reginald Milanzi, Reitumetse Lebatla, Selanvor Platjies, Sifiso Teddy Mhlambi, Sylvia Kaslane, Violet Isaacs , Wayne Reddiar, Wendy Menong, Xolisile Bongwana, Zanda Nosenga Developed in partnership with the Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD), an initiative of the University of the Free State and the Vrystaat Art Festival, generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. As a continuation of the award-winning participatory film and performance events in 2018 Sig/Sight and 2019 The Vertical Journey, Marcus Neustetter returns with a third reimagined experimental performance in 2020. This time in virtual space and on participating devices across Bloemfontein, South Africa and beyond. Performative films evoking journeys of discovery and wonder were initially shown at Naval Hill Planetarium and are now brought into the digital domain. A series of free public online events and exhibitions will layer these journeys through space and time with a playful series of acts that sit in the tension between art and science, the urban and the rural, the mythical and the embodied, the past and the future. The first phase of the project, June to mid July, saw the activation of the network of collaborators in experimental creative sessions online. Working collectively on shared screens the participants from the past years and new contributors in 2020 were exploring new ways of collaborating, alternative forms of expression and new approaches to audiences. From July the activities have gone live to the public with a focus on programmed activities around a pilot exploration titled Solo-Solidarity-Future. Acknowledging todays complexities, the 2020's iteration involves a digital mediation of a diversity of participants and their intersecting journeys into imaginary futures while exploring media platforms and tools. As tradition with the last two year projects, the performative interventions will be accompanied by an exhibition of processes and by-products. This time not it the foyer of the planetarium, but online at www.imaginaryfutures.org and disseminated through social media #imaginaryfutures. The performative interventions will be hosted in Zoom and make use of VR immersions, live sound and film mixing, live drawing, animation, puppetry and performance. For the first time this year the project series sees contributions and participation from creatives from Net vir Pret in Barrydale and the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape, with Aja Marneweck (resident Theatre Fellow at the CHR@UWC). Building this new relationship it aims to extend the project into new collaborations and methods of working.