1880: Manifesto of Silences Development Showing
Irene Holub and Walter Kadiki
World Premiere
Commissioned by Arts House through The Warehouse Residency
Friday 28 – Saturday 29 March 2025
Fri – Sat, 6.30pm
45-minute showing followed by 40-minute post-show Q&A
All performances will be Auslan Interpreted and contain some captions.
Tickets
Showing $15
A small transaction fee will be charged per order.
Warnings
This performance contains adult themes and content including eugenics, violence, historical terms relating to deafness and radicalised languages. It contains smoke effects, haze, loud music, very loud sound effects, flashing lights, low lighting, lights that change in colours and intensity and possible lights that black out.
Arts House
North Melbourne Town Hall
521 Queensberry St,
North Melbourne
Wheelchair Accessible
Quiet Space Available
Assistance Animal
Companion Card
Closed Captioning
Auslan Interpreting
Visual Rating 75%
Aural Rating 50%In 1880, one decision echoed through time, suppressing Deaf language, culture and identity – shaping generations to come.
From Irene Holub and Walter Kadiki, the development showing of 1880: Manifesto of Silences weaves together operatic performance, sign language opera, projection art, sound vibrations and experimental techniques to revisit the pivotal decision to ban the use of sign language in deaf education.
1880: Manifesto of Silences Development Showing deeply examines the poetic and emotional dimensions of this historic event, raising awareness of its cultural impact and honouring the resilience and vibrancy of the Deaf community.
This development showing is the culmination of Irene and Walter’s eight-week residency at Arts House as part of The Warehouse Residency.
About the artists
Irene Holub is a dynamic artist, filmmaker and director, draws deeply from her experiences as a Deaf CALD individual navigating within a predominantly hearing society. This personal journey intricately shapes her exploration of human connections and communication patterns, vividly reflected in her diverse portfolio. With a curiosity for various communication modalities, Irene collaborates extensively with fellow artists to delve into the nuances of self-expression and interpersonal interaction. Irene engages audiences through captivating Auslan Art Tours coupled with enriching workshops at galleries such as the Art Gallery of Ballarat and Bendigo Art Gallery. As a co-founder of the acclaimed FLOW festival, she leads the charge in championing a Deaf-led event that showcases the cutting-edge Deaf arts.
Walter Kadiki
Walter Kadiki is a master of weaving signed poetry and visual vernacular into poetic performances that bridge cultures and are accessible to Deaf and hearing audiences. He has delivered workshops in Deaf Slam Poetry for young people across Australia, worked with community groups and collaborated/performed for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Gertrude Street Projection Art, Federation Square, the Melbourne Deaflympics and the Australian Parliament, among others. In 2017, Walter collaborated with US based interdisciplinary dance and design company NOW- ID – his powerful poetry was the impetus and focus for their original contemporary dance-based piece, a Tonal Caress, which was performed at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts July 2018. He has coordinated a group of Auslan performers to translate poetry and produced/performed a poem for the MIRROR exhibition at the State Library of Victoria.
Artist statement
Poetry, a recurring theme in my work, is woven into pieces like Lookinginout, Chaos I/II, and Heart, blending with sound, movement, and video to convey the depth of Deaf culture. With 1880, I seek to illuminate a crucial part of Deaf history, shedding light on how political decisions suppressed our language and culture. Commissioned by Arts House through The Warehouse Residency and supported by Creative Australia, this project is an opportunity to honor Deaf resilience and build pathways for future Deaf creatives.
-Irene Holub, Director
Artist credits
Dramaturg and Lead Performer: Walter Kadiki
Producer: Veronica Pardo
Digital Designer: Rhian Hinkley
Performers: Luke King, Ramas McRae
Choreographer: Jo Dunbar
Details
World Premiere
Commissioned by Arts House through The Warehouse Residency
Friday 28 – Saturday 29 March 2025
Fri – Sat, 6.30pm
45-minute showing followed by 40-minute post-show Q&A
All performances will be Auslan Interpreted and contain some captions.
Tickets
Showing $15
A small transaction fee will be charged per order.
Warnings
This performance contains adult themes and content including eugenics, violence, historical terms relating to deafness and radicalised languages. It contains smoke effects, haze, loud music, very loud sound effects, flashing lights, low lighting, lights that change in colours and intensity and possible lights that black out.
Arts House
North Melbourne Town Hall
521 Queensberry St,
North Melbourne
Wheelchair Accessible Quiet Space Available Assistance Animal Companion Card Closed Captioning Auslan Interpreting Visual Rating 75% Aural Rating 50%Supported by –
1880: Manifesto of Silences Development Showing has been commissioned by City of Melbourne through Arts House’s The Warehouse Residency. Developed with support from Arts Centre Melbourne – Alter State. This project has been supported by Creative Australia
Image credit: Irene Holub
Image description: Profile of the face of a black man, his right hand raised to cover his face.
