Divine Tasinda

In the words of Christina Sharpe, a "visually and sonically rich" work inspired by Dionne Brand's "A Map to the Door of No Return: Notes to Belonging." Commissioned by Hayward Gallery Touring and The Box, Plymouth, for British Art Show 9.

Hypnagogia Glossolalia is composed of several spoken word poetry pieces narrated in both Gaelic and Shona (zezuru dialect) with dance performance by dancer and choreographer Divine Tasinda. Working with the image of the Bateleur Eagle, a now endangered species, defined as the original inspiration for the Zimbabwe bird. The bird is a symbol, a soapstone totem, a spiritual artefact. the national emblem of Zimbabwe it is endemic to Africa and small parts of Arabia. "Bateleur" is French for "street performer”. This work traverses the personal and universal interrogating the notion of self and romantic ideas of the incorporeal Other.