About the discussion
Wednesday, December 2, 5 to 7 p.m.
Guest: Lynne Cooper
Moderator: Carmen Ruiz
Venue: MAI - Montréal Arts Interculturels, 3680 Jeanne-Mance (@ Prince-Arthur)
The buying and selling of human flesh for the worldwide sex industry is organized crime's fastest growing business, with up to two million people globally – mostly women and children – being trafficked every year. It is also one of the world's most invisible human rights issues as most of us have no idea that these enslaved women even exist. The artistic endeavour of producing a play about human trafficking is a challenging one; the subject is extremely violent, the issues dramatic and complex. This public conversation will start with a public rehearsal of the Trunk Collectif’s new production “Traffik Femme” written by Emma Haché. Together we will have the opportunity to discuss some of the themes related to human trafficking, and explore whether putting on performance about such is issues in important or voyeuristic. Do such art initiatives bring about change? If so, how, and what would that change look like?
Guest:
Lynne Cooper stands out for her very singular story: that of a multilingual Chilean-Trinidadian-Honduran-British immigrant, performing artist, traveller, community activist and theatrical guerrilla. She is the artistic director of "Le Trunk Collectif". www.clocloval.com/trunk/
Moderator
Colombian-born Carmen Ruiz has been a dancer and teacher for the last decade, and a choreographer since 2005. Carmen’s work is much influenced by the history of Columbia, especially how violence leaves its mark on both bodies and minds, and by her Canadian life, her experience as an immigrant and her traveling spirit. “À la limite” will be presented at the MAI in March 2010.