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Synergy: International Art and Performance
ARTS & CULTURE
Words by Anastasia Traynin Photos courtesy of Jordan Mathis
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
November 2016
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y 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 8 the First Floor Global Lounge of the Gwangju International Center transforms from an office and lounge setting to a live performance venue. Young local and international residents intermingle, buy drinks and snacks and look at the art hanging on the walls of the gallery next to the main hall. Soon, the lights dim and the MC announces that the show is about to start. This third installment of Synergy, a new Gwangju-based creative project, brings together residents’ musical, visual, written and spoken talents. Early this year, spoken-word poet, writer and teacher Gabrielle Zilla,
who hails from New Jersey, joined forces with visual artists and elementary school teachers Annie Bratko and Lauren Giuliani to build a performance and visual art collaborative event. “I started planting creative shows in New Jersey,” Zilla said. “I run a show for one-and-a-half years before I move to another city. I originally intended to keep doing that, but then I met Annie and Lauren and they had a gallery motif. We find new ways to incorporate the two styles.” The first Synergy event took place at the GIC in May 2016 and the second one moved to Chonnam Backgate’s
Loft 28 bar, with each installment showcasing a diverse range of artists. While giving a Synergy audience member a henna tattoo, co-founder Bratko explained that the GIC approached her and Giuliani to create an art gallery in the First Floor space. She said that after the April closing of the former SALT Art Gallery in Gyerim-dong, there was a void to fill for showing and viewing art in Gwangju. The Synergy team has since expanded to include teachers Boipelo Seswane, Jordan Mathis, Joshua Alexander Wright and local resident Ziyong Lee. The project’s loose form allows for this creative concept to be taken up by any interested members of the community.