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Author: ANDRIANA KOURKOUMELIS
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Rough Cut: Meraki Folk Dance
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5 Shot Sequence
In September, Meraki Folk Dance Astoria was created by Greek dance educator Dimitri Carabas with a goal to promote a cultural hub for people of all ages.
Meraki Folk Dance covers a variety of cultural dances and performances from regions all over Greece and encourages children, teens and adults to learn these traditions with weekly classes at different locations in Astoria.
These classes are accompanied by community performances at different events, and Carabas has made many connections with other small cultural vendors and educators in the area at a quick rate.
Through this video project, I want to highlight what Carabas’ purpose for creating these classes was, why students attend weekly folk dance sessions, and how he has accumulated such a large community within Meraki Folk Dance.
HOST INTRO: The Mishkin Gallery is a small organization on the Baruch College campus that has a goal to showcase art works of all kinds, from video to audio to traditional. Host and Baruch student Andriana Kourkoumelis is here to look more into the Mishkin Gallery’s newest installation, Who Speaks for the Oceans.
AMBI: Mishkin Gallery team preparing for a performance.
TRACK: It’s a rainy day out in mid-October and Miho Hatori is performing her commissioned audio-visual piece titled “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?” The Japanese artist and musician stands behind a clear screen as projections of whales and underwater scenes loop over her face and on the walls of the gallery.
AMBI: Spoken intro for the performance “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?”
TRACK: Recent Baruch graduate, Barkat Chowdury, took the course last semester that inspired this exhibit. The course, which was co-taught by Mishkin Gallery director Alaina Claire Feldman and professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences David Gruber, was a lecture focusing on environmentalism and art, in which he learned about the meaning behind the works to be displayed in this specific exhibition. He was asked to introduce Hatori at the live performance.
ACT: BARKAT: “I got excited actually because my final project was about music and how different songs and different sounds can be used to create a sort of playlist to help promote ocean conservation and get more in touch with the ocean, so I guess it just lined up that way but it was great to speak to Miho and learn about her creative processes.”
AMBI: The first part of “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?” by Miho Hatori.
TRACK: Hatori is a Japanese singer-songwriter known for being a soloist as well as co-founder of the New York City band Cibo Matto, and notably being the first voice of Noodle in the digital band Gorillaz. Her installation poses the question “What does it feel like to swim alongside a whale?” She mixed various recordings of whale vocalizations inspired by Roger Payne, Philip K. Dick and her personal experience offshore freediving.
AMBI: Fade up audio of whaling hymns
TRACK: Japanese Ondo whaling hymns can be heard in the composition of this auditory art piece alongside spoken poetic verses and layers of sounds. She says she hopes it will convey the feeling of being amongst these creatures.
AMBI: Whale noises sampled in “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?”.
ACT: MIHO: “Whales might be a very interesting creature to play with in the music as well, It’s the audience’s freedom on what they feel.”
TRACK: She emphasizes that listeners may have their own interpretation of her work.She hopes her sonic performance will spark an understanding of marine life among her audience, and create more awareness beyond our own humane environment. She created this piece because the many sounds of whales reminded her of a song.
AMBI: Middle section of “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?”.
TRACK: I spoke with one attendee and art enthusiast who has attended many Mishkin Gallery events. Former Baruch student Angelina Medina says she thought the artist did what she set out to do.
AMBI: Students walking around the Baruch College plaza.
ACT: ANGELINA: “Miho Hatori’s performance was a feast for the senses, both the twinkling lights and deep music radiating off the gallery’s walls caused the audience to ask themselves what do whales hear and what is their music.”
AMBI: Marine Series Vol.1-Mobula phantasmagoria
TRACK: Hatori has also worked on similar projects focused on marine life and conservation–including a charity campaign for EarthPercent, which provides a way for the music industry to get involved with the Earth’s ongoing climate emergency. What you’re hearing is a project called Marine Series by Hatori in collaboration with marine videographer Hassan Ali Khan that was released in April of this year. For each track sold £1.30 went to EarthPercent’s grantmaking program.
AMBI: Final section of “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?”.
TRACK: The exhibition Who Speaks for the Oceans? will be running until December 9th with Hatori’s video instillation “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?” on display at the gallery opened to the public. For Baruch College, this is Andriana Kourkemelis in Manhattan.
AMBI: Ending of “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?”.
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Practice Radio Script
HOST INTRO: New York City is a unique place that is called home by many from all backgrounds. Baruch College, CUNY is a place that welcomes everyone from students in state and beyond, allowing for an experience that is atypical to the one we may think of when “college experience” comes to mind. Host Andriana Kourkoumelis speaks to fellow Junior and Economics major Jasper Alday who explains his favorite things to do as a newcomer to NYC from Texas.
AMBI: Students speaking in room 7-160 in the Newman Vertical Campus at Baruch College.
TRACK: I am here with student Jasper to learn about his experience as someone who grew up in the suburbs of Texas living his life as a college student in New York City. He is a junior that is pursuing an Economics degree, and is involved in organizations like USG on campus. He has lived in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, and explains his favorite pastime on his day to day.
AMBI: Outdoor noises in Flatiron of cars, leaves rustling, and people speaking.
ACT: JASPER: A bit bizarre of a hobby that I have is just walking around the city aimlessly, I really like exploring different neighborhoods, each neighborhood in NY has a very distinct character, and like different types of people as well.
TRACK: Jasper learns a lot from his walks about various neighborhoods that he may not have been introduced to otherwise, and expresses the therapeutic aspect to the simple act of observation. He describes Texas as suburbia, being completely different from what we consider customary while living in New York City. Further, he touches on the accessibility of public transportation.
AMBI: The sound of a train approaching at 14th Street.
ACT: JASPER: Texas has a very awful public transportation system, also I was in the suburbs. No one really took advantage of public transportation it was pretty much nonexistent. I pretty much would have had to drive everywhere if I was still living in Texas. I definitely prefer walking in the city as opposed to driving.
TRACK: Jasper will continue to further explore the city as he resides and studies here, and hopes to learn from this hobby in his daily life.
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Radio Pitch
The Mishkin Gallery at Baruch College presents the exhibition “Who Speaks for the Oceans?” from September 1st to December 9th.
The featured multimedia art pieces were co-curated by Mishkin Gallery director Alaina Claire Feldman and professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences David Gruber.
This collection of multimedia artworks displays environmental issues through auditory, visual and tactical means so individuals can become immersed in a marine animals life. Specifically focusing on the life of whales, musician and creative Miho Hatori will be doing a live performance of her audio-visual production of “Do Whales Dream of Electric Human?” on October 13th.
For my radio project, I hope to speak more with the curators about the meaning or message behind this exhibition and why each art piece was chosen to display. I will also showcase the audio elements of the exhibit, and speak with environmentalist artist Miho Hatori following her live performance at the gallery.
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