Kunsthuis SYB

Kunsthuis SYB warmly invites you to The Visitor, a presentation concluding Alban Karsten‘s residency, on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 15:00.

During the presentation, Karsten shares the research conducted in Beetsterzwaag with the audience. The afternoon begins with a conversation between Karsten and director Arnisa Zeqo, followed by a screening of his film The Visitor, produced during the residency. The program ends with a vocal performance of the artist together with MNNNZNGVRNGNG, the Beetsterzwaagse amateur men’s choir led by conductor Liesbeth van Dongen.

Sign up for the presentation on Sunday, Nov. 5, via this link.

We look forward to welcoming you to SYB.

Program
15:00 Walk-in
15:30 Q&A
16:00 Screening The Visitor
16:30 Performance in collaboration with MNNNZNGVRNGNG
16:45 Closing drinks
18:00 End

About Karsten’s residency and The Visitor
At Kunsthuis SYB, Alban Karsten worked on his research The Fences of Beetsterzwaag. The premise of this project was to work with the oral histories of the village – such as regional stories, myths, village gossip, lies and very local chronicles. For Karsten, the best way to enter the collective memory of the village is by joining local clubs. Thus, he became a temporary member of two Beetsterzwaagse choirs.

Through the choirs, he got to know many people with their unique stories, who in turn referred him to other contacts. Soon, he was visiting villagers several days a week. During one of these visits, he heard the tale of the unusually high number of UFO sightings in this region in the mid-1970s. From then on, he began his quest for firsthand witnesses who were willing to collaborate with him on his film The Visitor.

That search brought him to people with the most diverse and miraculous experiences from decades ago, while the choirs proved to be an essential aspect of his artistic work. The choirs brought structure to his weeks through rehearsals and helped him rediscover singing as part of his artistic practice; as a performative tool and a method of engaging with a community.