samedi 29 novembre 2025, 16h

Culturescapes Performance Day | Yara Mekawei. El-Qibla

Entrée gratuite, sans réservation
Culturescapes Performance Day: Languages and Movements

The Sahara is all about rhythms. The circadian rhythms of the desert dwellers sync with the rhythms of day breaks and sunsets. The rhythms of the winds set people in to motion. The Sahara is all about languages. The many languages in and around the Sahara move with the people, some of who are nomadic, while others are migrants traversing the desert from south to north in search of better lives. The verbal and non-verbal languages of movement convergein the Saharan space to share stories, reveal secrets, express pain, voice inequalities and injustices, fight for freedom, dance, laugh, and sing. Embracing the diversity of languages and voices spoken in and around the Sahara requires sensitivity and openness.
The Performance Day that closes Culturescapes 2025 Sahara opens a space to meet the Saharan languages and movements through performative walks, guitar music, dance, chants, and meditation by artists from different parts of the African continent. 

Yara Mekawei. El-Qibla (Sonic live performance, 40’) 

El-Qibla is a sonic journey that resonates with the spiritual and sensory dimensions of sound. Rooted in Yara Mekawei’s field recordings from Sufi celebrations across Northern African regions, the performance transforms these captured moments into intricate and immersive compositions. 

Through the interplay of traditional African instruments and the rich textures of these recordings, Mekawei creates a dynamic soundscape that orients the listener, much like the Qibla directs spiritual focus. This performance embodies the idea of alignment—both sonic and metaphysical. The Qibla, as a central concept, symbolizes orientation and convergence, reflected in the way the compositions bring disparate sounds into harmony. By drawing from sacred rituals and everyday life, the work bridges ancient practices with modern sonic interpretations, creating a space for contemplation and resonance. 

Yara Mekawei (Egypt / Germany) is a Sonic Sculptor and Sound Artist exploring the intersection of sound, architecture, and urban landscapes. Her work transforms the rhythm of cities into immersive auditory experiences, where sonic narratives merge with visual form. 

 

Bildcredits: Yara Mekawei © Jasper Kettner