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Net//Work Exhibition: Abdul Halik Azeez

You are enough for someone to love it’s true
Abdul Halik Azeez

Desktop lecture performance (6:31), public intervention, video (3.05, 4:05)

You are enough for someone to love it’s true makes speculative connections between trance possession, rituals of healing, Tik Tok and mental health. It asks if trance states, which can be seen as a vehicle for the expression of repressed emotions in marginal groups, can be thought of as being reproduced on social media applications such as Tik Tok. In traditional healing ceremonies the love of one’s family and community is as much of a part of the healing as the ritual dances meant to ward off demonic possession. However, the privatization of mental health in late capitalism requires us to seek community healing through the logic of competition, through the benevolence of the algorithm, for likes and engagement.

Music: Soundtrack from the motion picture Tenet (excerpt featured on Tik Tok trends), Ron Gallo - YOU ARE ENOUGH (Caroline Rose Remix)

About Abdul Halik Azeez

Abdul Halik Azeez (b.1985) is a new media artist based in Colombo Sri Lanka. His work draws from dialogues informed by contemporary urgencies that differ with national, political and social histories. Collected hyperlocal symbols within specific landscapes reflect on questions shared by diverse global communities to further instigate and disseminate conversation. Collaboration has formed a core part of his recent practice; he is a founder member of the artist collective The Packet and is currently involved in WET LAND, a space connecting artists from Germany, Switzerland, Pakistan and Sri Lanka that explores possibilities of artistic output as thought things. Halik has held solo exhibitions at the Saskia Fernando Gallery Colombo and his work has been exhibited widely both locally and internationally including at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Sri Lanka, Ishara Foundation, Dubai, the Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Karachi Biennale and Colomboscope.

Collaborator

Veenadari Lakshika Jayakody is an ensemble based physical theater artist, actor-creator, educator, dancer, choreographer, mask player, mask maker, director, and clown who has worked in theatre and film since 2009. She has worked in productions in Sri Lanka, the United States, Indonesia, and India. Veena holds an MFA equivalent in Ensemble-Based Physical Theatre from Dell’arte International School of Physical Theater, USA. Veena has volunteered in community-based, youth and queer oriented art projects with The Wiyot Tribe, The Club Triangle, The Raven Project (USA), and Bhakti Senang Hati Foundation (Bali). She lives and works in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Costume and film production support - Kasun Chathuranga Ukwaththa, Yasendri Edirisinha, Jayampathi Guruge, Pasindu Ranaweera

About the Net//Work Residency

The Net//Work Residency took place 25 October - 19 November 2021, in partnership with British Council and DAS Belfast. Wysing Arts Centre hosted artists Laura Andreato, Halik Azeez, Wajeeha Batool, and Wendy Teo during this four week online residency, with Anna Bunting-Branch as artist mentor.

Net//Work offered time for reflection, research, practice, skills exchange, and professional networking opportunities focused on digital artistic practices and technologies. The autumn's residency artists were internationally based across Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The residency consisted of online mentoring, group conversations, problem solving surgeries, guest talks and workshops with external curators and artists and 1-2-1 tuition.

To find out more about the Net//Work Residency, click here.

In partnership with British Council and DAS Belfast


British Council Logo reading 'In Partnership with British Council

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