Opiyo Okach
Opiyo Okach
Performer, choreographer and interaction designer
Kenya and France
Artist in Residence at Rote Fabrik from April to June 2022
Opiyo Okach is a performer, choreographer and interaction designer based between Kenya and France. His work explores the ways we perceive and relate to each other across our differences of body, culture, geography, conviction. In recent times Opiyo has been developing multidisciplinary processes at the intersections of live performance and new media. His residency at Rote Fabrik will continue this trajectory of work.
Opiyo will be expanding his ongoing project ‘Bodies in Displacement’. The project interrogates the notion of intimate physical presence, of ’being here right now’, that is intrinsic to live performance and theatre. He shares the concept of the project: “What happens to ’me here right now’ when place and ultimately time are not one but multiple; when ’me here right now’ becomes ‘you me, here there, now then’ what is the nature of being present or absent in the right moment or place;
Our post-global world seems ever increasingly polarized along social, cultural, ethnic, racial, or religious differences. Displacements of idea, body, pixel, data or belief provoke suspicion, fear, anxiety and insecurity. But aren’t our diversities our greatest strength? The things we have in common may bring us together, but aren’t the differences we share between us what makes us better, greater, ultimately resilient as humans?”
‘Bodies in Displacement’ extends the stage and auditorium across multiple geographies of both public and private space. Both the process and presentation of the work takes place online and on-site. Local and remote performers exchange movement, gesture, sound, words and data to create immersive sensorial environment in which body, text, data, image and space interact with each other.
Coaching by Meret Schlegel cie-zeitsprung.ch
Realised by IG Rote Fabrik and Pro Helvetia Johannesburg
