When the body says Yes
melanie bonajo
melanie bonajo, When the body says Yes
A somatic lecture presentation on When the body says Yes. In this talk melanie bonajo dives into their process of creating somatic, social-justice-based films and projects, and the concrete “social toolkits” that emerged along the way. They will show how these tools link embodiment to activism and education, and why touch, nervous system regulation, and human connection are not extras, but core political technologies. Participants will be invited into a few gentle exercises and examples from their practice to feel these ideas in their own bodies, how to hold complex spaces where grief, joy and absurdity can go hand in hand.
melanie bonajo (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, Dutch artist, filmmaker, feminist, sexological bodyworker, somatic sex coach and educator, cuddle workshop facilitator and animal rights activist. Through their videos, performances, photographs and installations, Bonajo examines current conundrums of co-existence in a crippling capitalistic systems, and address themes of eroding intimacy and isolation in an increasingly sterile, technological world.
They research how technological advances and commodity based pleasures increase feelings of alienation, removing a sense of belonging in an individual, and their works present anti-capitalist methods to reconnect, explore sexualities, intimacies and feelings. Their experimental documentaries often explore communities living or working on the margins of society, either through illegal means or cultural exclusion, and the paradoxes inherent to ideas of comfort with a strong sense for community, equality, and body-politics. Their work has been exhibited and screened internationally, from the Tate Modern, MoMA PS1, to De Appel Arts Centre and Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam to Manifesta 12, the Gwanjou Biennale, the Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, the Kunsthalle Basel, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the Berlinale, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and Treefort Film Fest.
Access information:
The Gym can be challenging to maintain at a comfortable temperature, and its acoustics are suboptimal, with potential noise from nearby areas such as the canteen. The elevator is small and does not accommodate larger wheelchairs. If you have any questions, or special needs, or need extra help, email us at studiumgenerale@rietveldacademie.nl, and we will do our best to assist you.
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