“It’s simple really. I come to Stamsund I find a spot, I build myself a shelter then I take it down. Another day I will try somewhere else in the world. I’m trying to feel at home anywhere. I want to feel entitled and unashamed. There are questions about identity, belonging, freedom, home. Part sculpture, part protest, part ceremony. The invitation is to witness a stranger in your landscape. How is it for me, how is it for you? Come and go, pass by, stay – it takes me a while. It may be, that one day soon we will all have to find elsewhere to live. How will that go?” https://www.facebook.com/events/490543982538156/

I want to meet people like me: A child of an immigrant. A woman in her 50s A single mother of a single child. Someone who cared for a parent with dementia. A fat woman. Someone who has recently started gardening. A partner in a mixed-race marriage. Someone who used to be a political activist Someone who has served a short sentence in jail. A person who loves cooking for friends Someone who occasionally goes to church but doesn’t believe in God. An artist who’s been making work for over 20 years. Someone who has just taken up wild swimming. A Black person. If you share any of those descriptors above, I’d like to meet you some place in Ipswich. You decide where, preferably somewhere which has something to do with your identity. We’ll chat and I’ll buy you a coffee, or tea maybe even a cake. This is the residency part of I AM FROM REYKJAVIK, my attempt to be a post-racial, global citizen. The second part is when I claim a piece of your public space to build myself a little dwelling. I am going from city to city to find a place where I can be free. Where I can be totally all of me, free to come and go, to stay and feel at home. Will you welcome me to Ipswich? To book a time to meet me, contact SPILL festival or me here on facebook.

An artist rocks up, builds a shelter and declares herself free. “So in 1965 my mum and dad book a holiday to the Isle of Wight; my mum’s pregnant with me. Dad gets a bit wary and writes to the hotel saying that we’re coloured and would it cause any problems as they don’t want to travel all that way, what with my mum’s condition, to be turned away. The hotel writes back cancelling the reservation. This time, I’m just rocking up. I’m bringing my own house and my own cups. You’re welcome to come help me build my shack and take tea with me, but I’m coming whether you like it or not.” – Sonia Hughes This outdoor live installation is artist Sonia Hughes’ attempt to unwrite that letter. Commissioned by SPILL Festival, and Jerwood Arts and LIFT in partnership with Festspillene I Nord-Norge (Norway), SPRING Performing Arts Festival (Netherlands) and ILT Festival (Denmark). Further funding from Arts Council England, SLATE and SHED

I AM FROM REYKJAVIK RESIDENCY IN CITY OF LONDON and ROYAL DOCKS I want to meet people like me: A child of an immigrant. A woman in her 50s A single mother of a single child. Someone who cared for a parent with dementia. A fat woman. Someone who has recently started gardening. A partner in a mixed-race marriage. Someone who used to be a political activist Someone who has served a short sentence in jail. A person who loves cooking for friends Someone who occasionally goes to church but doesn’t believe in God. An artist who’s been making work for over 20 years. A Black person. If you share any of those descriptors above, I’d like to meet you some place in City of London or Royal Docks. You decide where, preferably somewhere which has something to do with your identity. We’ll chat and I’ll buy you a coffee, or tea maybe even a cake. This is the residency part of I AM FROM REYKJAVIK, my attempt to be a post-racial, global citizen. The second part is when I return and claim a piece of your public space to build myself a little dwelling. I am going from city to city to find a place where I can be free. Where I can be totally all of me, free to come and go, to stay and feel at home. Will you welcome me to London? To book a time to meet me, contact LIFT or me here on facebook. ENDS

An artist rocks up, builds a shelter and declares herself free. “So in 1965 my mum and dad book a holiday to the Isle of Wight; my mum’s pregnant with me. Dad gets a bit wary and writes to the hotel saying that we’re coloured and would it cause any problems as they don’t want to travel all that way, what with my mum’s condition, to be turned away. The hotel writes back cancelling the reservation. This time, I’m just rocking up. I’m bringing my own house and my own cups. You’re welcome to come help me build my shack and take tea with me, but I’m coming whether you like it or not.” – Sonia Hughes This outdoor live installation is artist Sonia Hughes’ attempt to unwrite that letter. Commissioned by LIFT, SPILL Festival, and Jerwood Arts in partnership with Royal Docks Team, Festspillene I Nord-Norge (Norway), SPRING Performing Arts Festival (Netherlands) and ILT Festival (Denmark). Supported by City of London and Cockayne Grants for the Arts.

An artist rocks up, builds a shelter and declares herself free. “So in 1965 my mum and dad book a holiday to the Isle of Wight; my mum’s pregnant with me. Dad gets a bit wary and writes to the hotel saying that we’re coloured and would it cause any problems as they don’t want to travel all that way, what with my mum’s condition, to be turned away. The hotel writes back cancelling the reservation. This time, I’m just rocking up. I’m bringing my own house and my own cups. You’re welcome to come help me build my shack and take tea with me, but I’m coming whether you like it or not.” – Sonia Hughes This outdoor live installation is artist Sonia Hughes’ attempt to unwrite that letter. Commissioned by LIFT, SPILL Festival, and Jerwood Arts in partnership with Royal Docks Team, Festspillene I Nord-Norge (Norway), SPRING Performing Arts Festival (Netherlands) and ILT Festival (Denmark). Supported by City of London and Cockayne Grants for the Arts.

An artist rocks up, builds a shelter and declares herself free. “So in 1965 my mum and dad book a holiday to the Isle of Wight; my mum’s pregnant with me. Dad gets a bit wary and writes to the hotel saying that we’re coloured and would it cause any problems as they don’t want to travel all that way, what with my mum’s condition, to be turned away. The hotel writes back cancelling the reservation. This time, I’m just rocking up. I’m bringing my own house and my own cups. You’re welcome to come help me build my shack and take tea with me, but I’m coming whether you like it or not.” – Sonia Hughes This outdoor live installation is artist Sonia Hughes’ attempt to unwrite that letter. Commissioned by LIFT, SPILL Festival, and Jerwood Arts in partnership with Royal Docks Team, Festspillene I Nord-Norge (Norway), SPRING Performing Arts Festival (Netherlands) and ILT Festival (Denmark). Supported by City of London and Cockayne Grants for the Arts.

An artist rocks up, builds a shelter and declares herself free. “So in 1965 my mum and dad book a holiday to the Isle of Wight; my mum’s pregnant with me. Dad gets a bit wary and writes to the hotel saying that we’re coloured and would it cause any problems as they don’t want to travel all that way, what with my mum’s condition, to be turned away. The hotel writes back cancelling the reservation. This time, I’m just rocking up. I’m bringing my own house and my own cups. You’re welcome to come help me build my shack and take tea with me, but I’m coming whether you like it or not.” – Sonia Hughes This outdoor live installation is artist Sonia Hughes’ attempt to unwrite that letter. Commissioned by LIFT, SPILL Festival, and Jerwood Arts in partnership with Royal Docks Team, Festspillene I Nord-Norge (Norway), SPRING Performing Arts Festival (Netherlands) and ILT Festival (Denmark). Supported by City of London and Cockayne Grants for the Arts.

Hello Utrecht, I'm coming to meet you, I am making an artwork, I Am From Reykjavik where I attempt to become a post-racial, global citizen. The performance will be presented at SPRING Performing Arts Festival in May 2020. As research for this work, I will be in Utrecht from 29 Nov - 1 December. I'd like to know how it would be for me in Utrecht and so I want to meet people a bit like me. I'd like to meet: A child of an immigrant Someone who used to be a political activist A single parent of a single child Someone who occasionally goes to church but does not believe in God. Someone who is fat A woman in her 50's Someone who has a parent who has Alzheimer's/Dementia Someone who loves cooking for friends Someone who has moved to the city in the last 3 years Someone who has recently discovered the joys of gardening I'm in Utrecht from 29 Nov - 1 December. You suggest a place to meet in the city which has something to do with one of things above and we'll chat and I'll buy you a cup of coffee. That's it.

UTSATT: Alle avtaler som Sonia Hughes hadde i helgen må utsettes til reiserestriksjonene tilsier at hun kan komme til Harstad. Vi følger opp med ny dato og info når dette er avklart. ------- Forestillingen “I am from Reykjavik” av Sonia Hughes skal presenteres på årets Festspill, og som en del av forberedelsene til forestillingen kommer kunstneren til Harstad allerede i mars. Målsetningen er å bli kjent med Harstad og de som bor og jobber her. - Hvordan ville livet mitt være om jeg bodde i Harstad? Jeg vil møte folk som er litt som meg. Vi møtes et sted som har en relevans til deres identitet og som de velger. Her tar vi en kopp te og snakker sammen så kort eller lenge de har tid, sier Sonia Hughes. Sonia liker ikke spørsmålet “Hvor kommer du fra?” når det kommer med en antydning om at «du hører ikke til her». Derfor prøver hun å være hvor som helst, fra hvor som helst, velkommen og berettiget til å være der. Dette er ikke lett, si den det å være en svart kvinne kan signalisere sosioøkonomisk klasse, en forventning om status, en spesiell historie; og det hun ønsker å finne ut er om hun kan eksistere uten at noen av disse tingene påvirker henne. I am from Reykjavik er et eksperiment der hun forsøker å være en global innbygger i en verden der rasetilhørighet ikke betyr noe. --- I am attempting to become a post-racial global citizen. As part of my research for the artwork 'I am from