Discover New Imaginaries: Artistic Residency at Espronceda, Barcelona
Hosted by Espronceda Institute of Art & Culture, this artistic residency is takes place from October 7 to 18, 2024.
This two-week program delves into pressing themes such as Non-Human Rights, Natural Contract, Collective Intelligence, and Resilience. Artists are invited to reflect on the connections between all living and non-living beings and their environments. The residency encourages participants to explore how artistic practices can promote egalitarian and cooperative values while influencing new imaginaries for the future.
Participants are encouraged to address the ecological crisis and our ongoing eco-social transition, considering how we might create spaces for active listening and rethink our relationship with nature. Drawing from concepts like Lynn Margulis’ theory of endosymbiotic evolution and Guattari’s views on cognitive and social adaptation, this residency provides a platform for artists to envision post-capitalist futures that embrace diversity and sustainability.
Meet the Artists:
Anita Szymańska
Anita is a multidisciplinary creator who primarily works in theatre. She has taken on roles as a screen actress, theatre performer, co-director, dramaturg, and workshop leader. Her main interests include folk tales, polyphonic singing, and biology, though she finds her greatest inspiration in the people she collaborates with. She considers herself a doer—actively engaged in various projects and following her intuition, which has proven to be an effective strategy in her career.
Currently, Anita is completing an MA in Liberal Arts at the University of Warsaw and developing her first one-woman show. She graduated in European Theatre Arts from Rose Bruford College in London and furthered her training at the EÒLIA Centre Superior d’Art Dramàtic in Barcelona. Additionally, she honed her skills by working with the Stella Polaris Circus Theatre in Norway and at the Grotowski Institute in Wrocław.
Since her graduation in 2019, she has been an active theatre-maker. Some of her most notable works include I Come To You River: Ophelia Fractured (winner of the Jury Prize at the 25th International Shakespeare Festival in Gdańsk, performer and writer), МАТЬ | Mother (Best Dramaturgy at the 13th Festival of Young Directors in Kraków, dramaturg), The End of the World (dramaturg and writer), and Bezmatek (dramaturg).
Eirini Petraki
Eirini is an actress, playwright, and psychologist based in Greece and the UK, primarily engaged in experimental theatre as a performer and researcher.
In collaboration with Ilias Karellas Theatre Company, she has been creating educational children’s performances for the past two years. As a dramaturgist, she received an award from the United Nations Organization for her Greek adaptation of Rapunzel Alone, which is endorsed by the UN for Refugees for the 2023-24 season.
Eirini is also a member of the “Chores” female choir at the Greek National Opera, studying polyphonic traditional music.
With her group “TRance MOiroloi,” she created the mixed media performance Breaking the Borders, which received the second award for Best Performance at the Be-Hibe Festival in Greece and will be presented at the New Bauhaus Festival in Brussels in April 2024.
Ellen Finnerty
Ellen is an Irish artist and performer currently based in Ireland, France, and Catalonia. In Dublin, she founded bluehouse theatre, an emerging and award-winning company of five artists known for their formally experimental works. Their latest project is a demi-opera exploring the theme of a fish tank exploding in the lobby of a luxury hotel.
After studying English literature in Dublin, Ellen moved to Paris, where she completed two years of physical theatre training at École Jacques Lecoq. There, she co-founded the theatre company Can ai Gó with Catalan poet and performer Hug Casals, creating provocative physical theatre accessible across different languages. They are currently developing a piece focused on language and tongues. As a performer, Ellen is particularly interested in the concept of presence and how we inhabit our bodies and text. She now resides in a village in the Pyrenees Mountains under the Canigó.
Marcos Mereles
Marcos is a London-based filmmaker whose work has garnered international recognition. His debut feature film, ALL IS VANITY (UK, 2021), premiered at the 65th BFI London Film Festival and was released in UK cinemas in 2022.
His films have received multiple awards and have been featured at prestigious festivals worldwide, including Cleveland, Nashville, Fantasia, East End, Manchester, Aesthetica, Imagine, and Indianapolis, among others. His work has also been showcased at renowned institutions such as BFI Southbank, Austin Film Society, Whitechapel Gallery, and the EYE Filmmuseum.
Sabine Neilande
Sabine is a contemporary dance artist, choreographer, and movement teacher based in Riga, Latvia. Since graduating from the Latvian Academy of Culture in 2018, she has established herself in the dance world, specializing in physicality and partnering work. Sabine’s projects are known for their thought-provoking themes, reflecting her commitment to exploring the intersection of movement and meaning in contemporary dance.
Her artistic practice blends contemporary dance with various art forms, creating unique and impactful performances. As a performer, Sabine has been featured in numerous theater and contemporary dance productions, art projects, films, and television.
She remains dedicated to the evolution of her craft, participating in international master classes and festivals, and continuously pushing the boundaries of her artistry.
