BODY ARCANA: HOMEBUILDING

London Gallery Weekend 2023

Peckham Platform, Peckham Square, London

A commission by Peckham Platform with support from Art Fund and the London Borough of Southwark’s Cultural Celebrations Fund

Film by Roxy Asare

Performance Soundscape by Drew Sinclair

Body Arcana: Homebuilding is a ritual performance created by Lesley Asare in collaboration with sound artist Drew Sinclair. 

The piece explores the slow and sacred practices we keep within our homes to nourish, adorn and heal ourselves and questions how we can collectively slow down to restore the earth. With the avocado fruit at the heart of the exploration, the performance opens with a melodic soundscape and the preparation of an avocado herbal tea infusion. Fabric is ceremoniously removed from an avocado dye bath before new items of clothing are added. Drew then asks Lesley questions about what home means to her, she responds to the questions through movement before recording a symbol of home with avocado ink onto the fabric that is taped to the floor. 

Lesley also invited the young adults of the South London Refugee Association to collaborate in a series of workshops in which they explored the sense of self and home to inform the development of the performance.

Body Arcana: Homebuilding was made possible with support from Art Fund and the London Borough of Southwark’s Cultural Celebrations fund. 
Peckham Platform is able to deliver programmes due to the generous support from Arts Council England.