Michael Annoff & Nuray Demir

Kein schöner Archiv: House of Self-Defence

With Mohamed Amjahid, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Charles Graf & Sophie Yukiko (House of Saint Laurent), Neda Sanai, Fatima Spiecker & Christina Weber (Lowkick), Lea Marie Uría (Seitenwechsel), Kein schöner Archiv (Michael Annoff & Nuray Demir)

  • Dialogue
  • Performance
  • 2022/2023
  • German

The “House of Self-Defence” presents: Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley

The “House of Self-Defence” was a festival by “Kein schöner Archiv“. The project of Michael Annoff and Nuray Demir has been documenting the immaterial heritage of post-migrant society live and in public since 2018.
Intangible heritage is performative. It has to be rehearsed, passed on and communicated again and again, otherwise it gets lost. It cannot simply be locked away in a showcase. It wants to be lived, not admired. This is precisely why we have a duty to document our situated knowledge, however fleeting it may be, so that it can be shared. To this end, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley was asked to create the video work "The Face of Defence". It is the only testimony to be left of the House of Self-Defence.

Festival text

We’ve had enough! The “House of Self-Defence” looks back on the tradition of queer feminist and anti-racist resistance. What kind of knowledge can arm you against violence? HAU3 is declared the “House of Self-Defence”, where a group of quick-witted trainers come together. In several workshops they teach techniques and traditions of self-defence. 

In the evening, the doors open to all interested parties for a joint gathering “Words of Self-Defence”. Three short lectures by Amani Abuzahra, Şeyda Kurt and “Kein Schöner Archiv” situate the topic of self-defence in an emotional context and as a political field of action of marginalised communities. This part of the event can be attended with a day ticket for “House of Self-Defence” as well as with a single ticket for the lectures only.

“Kein schöner Archiv” is a collective under the artistic direction of Michael Annoff and Nuray Demir. It archives the immaterial heritage of post-migrant society live and in public.

Schedule
“House of Self-Defence”
14:00–14:30 Opening and division into workshops 
14:30–16:30 Workshop Round I (Studio 1, 2 and Stage)
16:30–17:00 Break 
17:00–19:00 Workshop Round II (Studio 1, 2 and Stage)
19:00–20:00 Break (with food)

“Words of Self-Defence”
20:00–21:30 Presentations Amani Abuzahra, Şeyda Kurt, Kein schöner Archiv (stage)
from 21:30 End of the evening at CAN with DJ set by Neda Sanai aka Nedalot

Date

Cast

guests: Amani Abuzahra, Mohamed Amjahid, Charles Graf jr. & Sophie Yukiko, Şeyda Kurt, Lea Marie Uría (Seitenwechsel), Neda Sanai, Fatima Spiecker & Christina Weber (Lowkick) / concept & hosting: Kein schöner Archiv (Michael Annoff & Nuray Demir) / production & dramaturgical consulting: Caroline Spellenberg (High Expectations) / visual design: Laura Straub / artistic documentation: Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley

Credits

Production: Michael Annoff & Nuray Demir. In collaboration with HAU Hebbel am Ufer. Funded by: Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.

To production on hebbel-am-ufer.de