The Witness
THE WITNESS
Can conscious listening spark radical change?
The Witness is an opera of a new kind weaving together the Earth's changing messages and the voices of indigenous wisdom holders. This cooperative platform brings together a network of communities closely following the manifestations of the planetary paradigm shift perceptible in the territory they inhabit. Community members, researchers and artists from all regions of the world develop projects that document, explore and share local eco-social relationships and stories.
WEAVING A TRANS-TERRITORIAL OPERA
The Witness is a cooperative platform and network of communities closely following the manifestations of the planetary paradigm shift perceptible in the territory they inhabit. Community members, thinkers and artists from all regions of the world explore and document local eco-social relations through audio, video and photo fragments. Each year-long edition highlights the new projects that join The Witness and invite us to see the world in a new light, weaving together stories and interviews with holders of indigenous wisdom.
AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF THE MOST RADICAL LISTENERS
The Witness envisions local communities as the most radical listeners to the changing messages of our world, it emphasizes community-based research, and facilitates the space and place for active long term, transcultural cooperation. The goal is to connect and share indigenous wisdoms, knowledge and know-how, to nurture and celebrate the diversity of worldviews, to encourage attunement between the different forms of life, and to deepen solidarity between communities living in harmony with Earth.
DEEPENING SOLIDARITY BETWEEN COMMUNITIES
Every year, from January to December, groups of community members, artists and researchers active in different parts of the world and engaged in fieldwork collaborate remotely.
Throughout the year, groups meet monthly to share experiences and learn more about working with communities and documenting ongoing local transformations. From April to September, each group posts weekly photo, audio, and video fragments of its research, bearing wit(h)ness to the situation on the ground and stimulating translocal cooperation.
NURTURING AND CELEBRATING THE DIVERSITY OF WORLDVIEWS
Each new edition of The Witness also includes the organization of Openlabs - transversal conversations and workshops held with and for communities - to share with them, first and foremost, the fruits of the projects and their research.
Regular partnerships with universities lead to the development of programs for young artists and researchers, facilitated by one or more members of The Witness team and network.
Furthermore, The Witness Openlabs' regular participation in festivals offers community members, artists and researchers involved in projects around the world the opportunity to deepen their collaboration, meet diverse audiences and further amplify the indigenous voices.
