A gathering about death and what connects us in life.
Death and life are inseparably linked. Yet why do we often shy away from discussing it? To delve into this question, Donia Sbika initiated a collaboration with the South African musician and healer Lethlogonolo Sicelo. Together, they question themselves and other people about their concepts and practices surrounding death and thus come to terms with their own mortality.
They are inspired by the idea that death is not just a farewell, but also a joyful celebration of renewal: In a material sense, the body composts itself into new life. They recognise the urgency of developing a long-term vision that extends beyond the individual life. The central question is: How can we live and die together?
Drawing on theories from “New Materialism”, Sbika and Sicelo's project interweaves cultural, biological and spiritual approaches to death and questions which lives are protected and valued in the modern age and which are not.
The overarching aim is to challenge the dominant position of the human subject and to make the mutual interdependence palpable. The collected interviews and own reflections ultimately lead to the performance “fête finale”, which uses text, music and dance to move through the spaces between reality and imagination. The performance will be shown as part of Donia Sbika's diploma project, both in Zurich and in South Africa.