Artist Avril Stormi Unger | Photo credit: Sudhakar Jain
“During the pandemic, a lot of people were struggling with their sexuality and many came out during that time. Something similar happened to me too, so I titled this program ‘Almira’. It’s a show coming out of my closet,” laughs Avril Stormi Unger.
The multi-disciplinary artist who shuttles between Bengaluru and Goa, adds that the work she did during the pandemic included not just household items, but personal tasks such as humming, sewing, ironing, hammering nails and collecting water. There are also hints.
“In the years of the pandemic, finding myself and my identity isolated, within my kitchen and with other household items – these were important parts of making these works and through the process of making them I came to terms with my sexuality. realized, so it’s all interconnected,” she says.
“Another reason I have named this work ‘Almirah’, which is also a household item, is because of its nostalgic value; People don’t use that word anymore.
‘Almira’ is a four-part series consisting of two videos and two performances. “‘Mirage’ and ‘Untangle’ are video works that were given to me by Oyon, an organization in Berlin for the embodied arts festival. Though these videos first came out in April 2021, they have not been shown in India till date ”
A scene from artist Avril’s performance | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“In June 2020, I was commissioned to do a long performance piece for ABR, an online platform for performance and digital works. on intimate partner violence. I have recorded a small part of it and it is called ‘Don’t Explain’,” says Avril, while it was performed online and live at the India Art Fair in Delhi, the first time she will be performing it. In Bengaluru , in the weekends.
She says ‘I do, do I?’ This is a completely new piece which she was supposed to perform since a long time and will be premiered for the first time in ‘Almira’.
The music of ‘Untangle’ is given by Bengaluru-based artist Paro. “I absolutely love her music and wanted her to compose the music for this piece. Paro is a singer and uses her voice in different ways to layer the sound. ‘Untangle’ is a 31-minute track. The film is and the entire soundtrack is his voice.
Where Avril sings for ‘Don’t Explain’, she sings for ‘I Do, Do I?’ Collaborating with artist Sultana Zana, who shuttles between Delhi, Goa and Bengaluru for . “Sultana would be recording sounds live and manipulating them as she performed,” says Avril.
She says that all the crew involved in the making of ‘Untangle’ and ‘Mirage’ are members of the queer community.
‘Almirah’ will showcase Avril Stormy Unger’s video works and performance art at 1 Shanti Road, Bengaluru on 5th June from 6pm onwards. entrance fees.