No Man's Land
Posted: Sun Feb 8, 2009 9:16 am

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OFF-WORLD ELECTRONICA, ANIMATION AND LOCAL FILM EVENT AT THE DEPOT.

THE Depot Artspace sets the scene on 21st February for "No Man's Land" - a live cinema event by audio-visual performance duo Colliderscope. Featuring skeletal, off-world electronica and live vocals from Scottish/Burmese composer and vocalist Fiona Soe Paing, and cutting-edge visuals from animation artist Zennor Alexander, the Depot show has been funded by the North Shore Creative Communities scheme, and will also involve North Shore based film makers in the event.

Colliderscope have recently been creating a stir on the NZ audio-visual scene, and since their debut performance in March 2008, have already produced a track for the NZ fashion week compIlation for Loop Recordings, been invited to perform in the Auckland Art Gallery spring series of artists' talks, and had videos featured on Alt TV and the Arts Channel on Sky NZ. As a solo artist, Fiona's track in Burmese language "Tamin Sah Pade' also appeared on the international compilation by BBC world music DJ Charlie Gillett, "Sound of the World 2007" and has been played on the BBC World Service, BBC Radio 3, as well as on a "Best of Myspace Top 10" podcast.

Sung partly in Burmese, partly in English, but mostly in an invented "No Man's Language" the "live cinema" performance of original 3D animation, music and live vocals is a journey through "No Man's Land", the borderlands where geographies, cultures, identities, genres and languages collide and interchange - Lush and soulful, dark and minimal, alien lullabies envelop and mesmerize in the spaces between dreaming and waking, an unsettling and compelling "No Man's Land". Fiona's music has been described by the Guardian UK newspaper as "hybrid, going on mutant" and also has received top praise from NZ's Bic Runga - "Wow! I like it!"

Colliderscope's involvement with The Depot began in December 2007 - while en route from the UK to visit friends and family in Auckland for an extended holiday, Fiona was surprised to find out that she was one of the finalists in a USA music competition she had entered, and was due to be flown to perform live at the finals in Austin Texas, just a few days after arriving in NZ! Needing to find a rehearsal space for the Texas performance, Fiona came to the Depot on a friend's recommendation. The Depot continued to encourage and support Colliderscope's development, and then in mid 2008, Colliderscope was granted project funding from the North Shore Creative Communities scheme to put on the Depot show.

As well as the live performance of "No Man's Land", the event will also be an opportunity for local film makers, animation artists and music video makers to participate, and Colliderscope are inviting local artists to submit their film and video work to be screened before the performance. There will also be a Q & A session after the show, and Colliderscope hope to facilitate new collaborations, skills sharing and networking opportunities for emerging artists.

The Depot Artspace event takes place at 28 Clarence Street, Devonport, on Saturday 21st February at 8pm. Admission by koha.

www.colliderscope.com