BEMAC Discussions: At the Intersection (Live and Streamed)

Join us on Monday 28 October for the next instalment in the BEMAC Discussions series: At the Intersection.

Art has always been a powerful medium for exploring identity, challenging norms, and expressing diverse experiences. Join us for an inspiring panel discussion where we celebrate the creative voices of queer artists from culturally diverse backgrounds. We will explore how these artists navigate their identities, culture, and queerness through their artistic practices, contributing to a more inclusive and vibrant artistic landscape. Together, we will celebrate creativity, diversity, and the transformative power of art in challenging boundaries and fostering inclusive cultural narratives.

BEMAC Discussions is a series of free monthly panel discussions tackling key topics relevant to creators and artists from diverse artistic practices, backgrounds, and cultures. These discussions will be held at BEMAC in Kangaroo Point on the last Monday of each month and will be followed by our BEMAC Discover open mic and performance evening from 8:00pm to 9:30pm.

Featuring:

Drea Lam, the director of Dance Masala Bollywood Dance Company, one of the largest independent Bollywood Dance Companies in Australia. In 2023, she created and premiered the sold-out show ‘ITEM’ directed by Lisa Fa’alafi, a feminist love and cease and desist letter to the Bollywood Industry. She has also choreographed large-scale projects for QAGOMA APT9; QPAC’s Out of the Box & Feet First Festivals; Woodford Folk Festival; and Queensland Symphony Orchestra; as well as for film industry names such as Neha Kakkar, Jasmine Sandlas and Mika Singh. She has a modest following of 70K on her neglected YouTube channel.

Mark du Potiers, Magandjin (Brisbane) sculptor with Australian, Hong Konger, and Chinese migrant heritage. He’s interested in how ideas, images, and meanings are understood across cultures. Mark uses bright colour and pop-culture references in his artworks to disarm and welcome conversation about complex social issues.

Mary Duong, queer Vietnamese filmmaker treading with care on Turrbal and Jagera Country. Their practice playfully reimagines queer narratives and amplifies underrepresented voices, perspectives, and communities. Their drama web series ‘TWO WEEKS’, has over 2.3 million views on YouTube and won Best Web Series at the SAE ATOM Awards 2018. Mary produced and co-wrote factual short-form series ‘BANANAS’ for SBS and Screen Queensland, an official selection at SXSW Film Festival 2020 and Inside Out LGBT Film Festival 2020. Inspired by riot grrrl bands from their messy teen years, Mary co-wrote and produced, ‘VIV’S SILLY MANGO’, through ABC Me and Screen Australia’s The Kaleidoscope Project, which was selected to Outfest Fusion 2023, now streaming on ABC iView. Finding the heart of a story with care, collaboration, and curiosity, Mary’s development slate dances across the personal and the political.

Moderated by Katie Rasch, a jack-of-all-trades arts worker with experience producing dance, theatre, spoken word, music and visual art events. She loves being involved in all things behind-the-scenes and has a passion for speculative storytelling and Pasifika Futurism. Katie is currently the Producer of Exhibitions and Events at the Institute of Modern Art, has exhibited work at Metro Arts and Caboolture Regional Gallery and reviews performance works for Nothing Ever Happens In Brisbane.

For those who are not able to physically attend the sessions, BEMAC Discussions will be live streamed on BEMAC’s Facebook page facebook.com/BEMACpresents

Proudly Presented by BEMAC.

BEMAC Discussions: At the Intersection
6:30pm, Monday 28 October
Followed by BEMAC Discover at 8:00pm
Queensland Multicultural Centre
102 Main St, Kangaroo Point
Free to attend.

BEMAC Discover
Join us on Monday 28 October for BEMAC Discover, an open mic night to celebrate the importance of art, music and creativity in our lives and our community. This space will focus on sharing and testing out new work! We invite artists from all backgrounds and languages to showcase and share! Entry is free… bring your instrument, poem, monologue or dance and sign up to take part in the open mic at the door on arrival!

The event will feature performances from The Buttery Music School. The Buttery Music School is a vibrant, queer, female-owned organization founded by drummer Jaymee Watkin in 2014. Located in Hamilton, The Buttery is home to 10 experienced music mentors and over 130 students who gather weekly for lessons in guitar, drums, bass, singing, songwriting, and keys, ranging from beginner to advanced levels. They provide an entire journey in music from their early childhood music program, through to their unique band program which empowers students to write, record, and promote their own music, including providing support for releasing tracks on Spotify and booking gigs. Their core values of inclusivity, community, and a commitment to raising the next wave of Brisbane’s professional musicians are at the heart of everything they do.

There is very limited parking around the QMC. We encourage all guests to use public transport. QMC is only a 2-minute short walk from the Holman Street Ferry Terminal and bus route 234. You can find more info about how to get to QMC at http://qmc.org.au/visit