NELLY BEN HAYOUN STUDIO FOR SHUNT
MICRONATIONS REVOLUTIONS
Written, directed and curated by Interactions Designer Nelly Ben Hayoun and co-produced with London arts venue Shunt, Micronations Revolutions is two nights of music, film and performance presented by four fictional micro-nations. With Shunt?s fully stocked bar providing drinks throughout, the micro-nations of Marble Kingdom, Iron Scape, Ice Break Mountain and Sea Salt Park will come together to provide the spirit of a revolutionary party on the 11th and 12th March.
Micronations Revolutions is a series of interactive experiences and experiments set in the post- industrial landscape of Shunt?s South London yard and machine filled interior. Guests can pledge their allegiance to one nation or wander through them all sampling music, food, film and performances ranging from an animation exploring the mystery of Napoleon Bonaparte?s pickled penis, dry scuba diving lessons inside a submarine, music from The Mighty Jungulator, ice cream made from clouds, a squawking new wave electro disco party from Chik Budo to medieval wooden horse fighting.
Citizens of the micro-nations can wear capes in the style of 70s tv show The Prisoner, wave flags as they hear The Dictator give his speech, chat to a yeti, attend a machine making workshop, have a bingo wedding or learn to cancan.
In among the crowds will be the ominous Agent A, working for the Micronations evil Puppet Master she will be awarding medals but also confiscating people?s nationality.
An experiment in organising new societies, Micronations Revolutions will be a party for all with music to listen and dance to, visual delights to marvel at and performance to play with and watch.
Micronations Revolutions
Micronations Revolutions is co-produced by Shunt and Nelly Ben Hayoun with the original concept by Nelly Ben Hayoun. A full list of performers can be viewed at www.micronationsrevolution.com.
Opening times: Friday 11 March 7.30pm – 1am
Saturday 12 March 7.30pm – 3am
Shunt, 42-44 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UD
www.micronationsrevolution.com
Nelly Ben Hayoun
Nelly Ben Hayoun is an award-winning interactions designer from France, living and working in London. Ben Hayoun graduated from the Royal College of Art Design Interactions MA course in 2009. Lead by Prof. Anthony Dunne, the course explores alternative realities and possible futures that new technologies and science may hold.
Previous to this Ben Hayoun worked and studied both textile design and fine art, exhibiting in Paris, Tokyo, Dublin and London. She is interested in how we can use design in our everyday lives to make them more thrilling, creative and passionate. She designs experiences for you to become an astronaut in the living room, generating dark energy from pigeons? eggs in the kitchen and colliding atoms in the bathroom, while a replica of mount St Helen?s is erupting on the couch…
Ben Hayoun?s work is about collaboration with experts and amateurs, adapting things and situations to suit our creative needs. She thinks that design must be engaged and therefore is particularly interested in questioning its set up. Her installations are built as a set to facilitate and encourage surreal interactions. Design should be embedded in a physical experience, something that lasts in your memory similarly to
seeing a painting and remembering the tone of it.
Nelly Ben Hayoun?s Super K Sonic Boooum, an installation recreating the experience of a sonic boom at Japan?s Super-Kamiokande neutrino observatory, opened the 2010 Manchester Science Festival and her The Other Volcano can currently be seen in the Wellcome Trust?s window display on Marylebone Road. The Other Volcano will travel to Brooklyn, New York and then the Beijing Design Triennale. In September Nelly?s Rocket Chair, Dark Energy Machine and Neutrino Observatory will be on display at The National Museum of China.
www.nellyben.com
Shunt
Shunt is a collective of artists creating and curating live performance in unusual spaces within London.
www.shunt.co.uk
