fugee

Fugee is a translucent projection cube that is both a live music stage and an immersive 360° screen of audio-reactive visualizations and livestream feeds of diaspora communities from around the world.

Funded by the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Toronto. Showcased at stackt market in Toronto.

about.

This Nuit Blanche, come bear witness to a heartfelt, refugee-led set of performances creatively housed in a magical cube of light. Curated by award-winning multimedia artist Maziar Ghaderi, the live exhibitions pay homage to refugees worldwide, similar to his own experience coming to Canada. From the shooting down of Flight 752, ISIL's brutality in Iraq/Syria, the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and Putin's invasion of Ukraine, displaced populations seeking refuge have reached a tipping point. Ghaderi came to Canada as a refugee during the Iran-Iraq war at the tender age of 5, which is why the plight of refugees is central to this project. Tonight is a night (and a morning) in modest observation of the families around the world that don't have the privileges that remain invisible to many Canadians today. Fugee is also a celebration of the Freedom of Expression and Right to Dissent that Canada holds dear and the artistic accomplishments and cultural contributions that refugees and newcomer Canadians have made to our urban life.

More info.

Schedule for Fugee live music performances starting at 7:00 PM with artist names and descriptions of their acts, including dates and times.

Schedule for Fugee live music performances starting at 7:00 PM with artist names and descriptions of their acts, including dates and times.

A person wearing a hoodie and colorful face mask, surrounded by multicolored light beams and haze.

A person wearing a hoodie and colorful face mask, surrounded by multicolored light beams and haze.

Nighttime outdoor event with a musician performing inside a transparent enclosure, illuminated by purple and blue lighting, with people sitting on chairs nearby and city lights in the background.

Nighttime outdoor event with a musician performing inside a transparent enclosure, illuminated by purple and blue lighting, with people sitting on chairs nearby and city lights in the background.

A group of people behind a semi-transparent screen displaying a winter forest scene with snow-covered trees. The scene is illuminated in a low-light outdoor setting, possibly at night.

A group of people behind a semi-transparent screen displaying a winter forest scene with snow-covered trees. The scene is illuminated in a low-light outdoor setting, possibly at night.

Night scene of an outdoor event with a light projection display, tents, chairs, and people, with a cityscape background of tall buildings and trees illuminated by blue and purple lights.

Night scene of an outdoor event with a light projection display, tents, chairs, and people, with a cityscape background of tall buildings and trees illuminated by blue and purple lights.

A person wearing a black beanie and glasses, dressed in dark clothing, is playing a string instrument, possibly a guitar or ukulele, on a dimly lit stage surrounded by microphones and music equipment, with laser lights and colorful visuals in the bac

A person wearing a black beanie and glasses, dressed in dark clothing, is playing a string instrument, possibly a guitar or ukulele, on a dimly lit stage surrounded by microphones and music equipment, with laser lights and colorful visuals in the background.

Night scene at an outdoor event with trees, tents, and a transparent enclosure reflecting colored lights.

Night scene at an outdoor event with trees, tents, and a transparent enclosure reflecting colored lights.

Night scene of an outdoor urban area with people sitting and standing, surrounded by illuminated buildings and trees. A tall tower in the background is lit up with colorful lights.

Night scene of an outdoor urban area with people sitting and standing, surrounded by illuminated buildings and trees. A tall tower in the background is lit up with colorful lights.

A musician performing on stage inside a transparent enclosure at night, with colorful projection visuals and blue and yellow lighting, surrounded by trees and guests.

A musician performing on stage inside a transparent enclosure at night, with colorful projection visuals and blue and yellow lighting, surrounded by trees and guests.

Nighttime outdoor scene with people sitting and socializing, illuminated string lights hanging, and a colorful projection on a semi-transparent screen or wall.

Nighttime outdoor scene with people sitting and socializing, illuminated string lights hanging, and a colorful projection on a semi-transparent screen or wall.

A person working on a glass art piece, with tools and bright lights, in a nighttime outdoor setting with festive or decorative lighting in the background.

A person working on a glass art piece, with tools and bright lights, in a nighttime outdoor setting with festive or decorative lighting in the background.

A street musician with long hair strumming a guitar and singing into a microphone, performing inside a transparent enclosure with colorful lights at night. There is a sign on the fence that reads 'FREE IRAN' and city buildings in the background.

A street musician with long hair strumming a guitar and singing into a microphone, performing inside a transparent enclosure with colorful lights at night. There is a sign on the fence that reads 'FREE IRAN' and city buildings in the background.

An outdoor scene at night showing a transparent tent with reflections of buildings and sky. Inside, a musician plays the violin. Nearby, people walk on a street with buildings and blue lighting on trees in the background.

An outdoor scene at night showing a transparent tent with reflections of buildings and sky. Inside, a musician plays the violin. Nearby, people walk on a street with buildings and blue lighting on trees in the background.

Nighttime street scene with a transparent screen displaying a woman's portrait, reflections of people and city lights, and text indicating an event at Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16.

Nighttime street scene with a transparent screen displaying a woman's portrait, reflections of people and city lights, and text indicating an event at Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16.

An outdoor nighttime scene with a city skyline, tall buildings, and the CN Tower in the background. In the foreground, there are chairs, a transparent partition with light projections, and trees illuminated with blue lights.

An outdoor nighttime scene with a city skyline, tall buildings, and the CN Tower in the background. In the foreground, there are chairs, a transparent partition with light projections, and trees illuminated with blue lights.

ARTIST LIST

KELLY-ANN ACHNEEPINESKUM - acoustic guitarist and singer from the cree nation of constance lake

EBI MOSAYYEBZADEH - classical santoor set exploring the rarest deep and dreamy notes of persian antiquity

STAR NAHWEGAHBO - an audio collage and performance about the quiet labour of love that goes into keeping the spirit of family alive

JANÏSA - honest r&b soul with lyrics birthed from artist’s talks with her ancestors and future self

MAZIAR GHADERI - new father recounting the night of his first born’s birth

NIMA & SARA - original persian gypsy pop set by soulful sibling duo

SAINT CASE - a versatile, introspective set ranging from afro-beats, r&b to hip hop from emerging toronto star

CHAI WITH BANAFSHEH - persian storyteller offering an ode to the brave women of iran

DEREK KWAN & YIYA YIN - ancient chinese poem and ink art collide in derek kwan and yiya yin’s evocative take of chan ka kin’s ‘yeh-pan yüeh’ /夜半樂 (1978)

STAR NAHWEGAHBO - an audio collage and performance about the quiet labour of love that goes into keeping the spirit of family alive

MELODIES OF BAM - traditional persian set inspired by the ancient fortress of bam in tribute to the women of iran fighting for freedom

ALI JAFRI - this spiritual set brings you the healing, rhythmic soundscapes of solfeggio and sitar

YULIIA KRYZHANIVSKA & NATALIA SOBCHUK - ukrainian classical and folk set featuring bandura and piano in homage to ukraine

RASHKAN EMSEMBLE - a fusion of eastern and western music showcasing rare instruments from ancient times

INK STICKS & STONES - neoclassical music artist whose unique style is a blend of her chinese and white franco-ontarien ancestry

INAAM HAQ- ambient atmospheric electric guitar set by grammy-award winning sound artist

AYA-HOLLA & YUKON KASH - melodic, ethernal electronic set in ode to liberty, peace, love and freedom for the iranian people

NORTHERN AFFAIR - dynamic electronic duo whose sound ranges from soft deep house, diverse trap to hip hop beats

MICHAEL MURPHY,Y OUELL DOMENICO & ANGELA BLUMBERG- electronic soundscape and percussion set journeying through humankind’s evolution from stone to consciousness

MINA SAB - minimal and melodic sunrise set dedicated to the brave women of iran

A MAZIART PRODUCTION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2022

STAFF LIST

MAZIAR GHADERI - Creative Director & Technical Director

JESSE COWAN - Cube Design & Fabrication

PHILIP MITROI - Lead Sound Engineer & Lighting Design

MORAA STUMP - Scrim Textile Design & Fabrication

ROHAM TAVAKKOLI - Software Designer, Livestream & Lighting Design

ASLI ÖZÜAK & TERMEH GHAZI - Textile Assistants

DOCUMENTATION - Youell Domenic, Ghazaleh Babaei Lakeh, Saeed Dehghani, Patricia Marcoccia, Tom Pace