As 2020 comes to an end, Birmingham’s Ikon hosted the world premiere of year zero (2020), a new audio-visual artwork by British artist Haroon Mirza and supported through Art Fund.
It was produced during the Covid-19 lockdown and inspired by smartphone footage of Italians singing from their balconies and windows at the start of the pandemic. The piece documents an evening performance outside Mirza’s studio (hrm199) for his neighbours during the UK’s second national lockdown in November 2020.
In a statement, Haroon Mirza said, “For this commission I was somehow compelled to think about a very local community and how we can connect to another community elsewhere through music, performance and storytelling. I saw it as an opportunity to both develop the fictional narrative of my modular opera but also bring something meaningful to being at home. As I developed the piece it became very much about breathing – the unconscious process we do at all times yet take for granted.”
Part recital, part voice experiment, year zero is performed by vocalist Sarah-Jane Lewis, wearing a costume designed by Osman Yousefzada, and accompanied by an electronic score performed by musician Jack Jelfs. The work also features a performance by Alessandro Ravasio, a musician based in Bergamo, the Italian city most severely impacted by the first-wave of the pandemic.
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director for Arts Council England, said, “Despite the challenges and personal tragedies that the pandemic has brought, it is heartening to see that artists like Mirza, have been inspired by the situation to create something positive and new.
“Being able to explore our experiences though art helps create connections between artists and audiences everywhere, and we’re proud to support Ikon as they showcase new work from their gallery in Birmingham to the wider world.”
Watch the premiere with Ikon Gallery on YouTube until 14 February 2021.
