Join SAM for a special performance of Bukjeh on 18 June 2022.

This Saturday the community is invited to join SAM for a very special performance, titled Bukjeh, led by artist & creator Aseel Tayah. In Arabic, “bukjeh” is the name for a small pack of belongings carried by travellers and refugees. These few objects paint an intimate portrait of their carrier, with each item holding memories and histories of places that were once home. The stories of new and diverse communities are at the heart of Bukjeh, unravelled through the often-meagre objects chosen to carry along on the journey to a new life.

Bukjeh is an interactive installation made accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Audiences will hear profound and honest accounts of the migrant and refugee experience, told through performances of song, dance, visual imagery, poetry and spoken word. This performance offers a unique opportunity to learn about the journeys of the people who live, work, and grow in our region.

Created by Aseel Tayah in 2018, Bukjeh grew from a one-day activation at the Melbourne Immigration Museum into a touring show that has gone on to be presented dozens of times at sites across Victoria. The aim of Bukjeh is to empower people who might feel uncertain in conversing about the reasons and impacts of global migration because they do not know the ‘right’ questions to ask, or due to fear of saying the ‘wrong thing’.

Gabriella Calandro, SAM Engagement Manager & Acting Artistic Director, says of the program:

“It’s a privilege to be able to bring Bukjeh to SAM. Greater Shepparton has a rich heritage of migration and settlement, which has shaped and distinguished our region. We’re fortunate to have a space at SAM in which new arrivals to our community are welcomed and are helped to feel embedded in the cultural fabric of the town.”

Bukjeh at SAM will take place on 18 June from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. For more event information and to book tickets, visit https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/sam-special-events/bukjeh-at-sam/

About the Artist:

Aseel Tayah is a Melbourne-based Palestinian artist, creative director and cultural leader who uses her practice to advocate for artists of colour, mothers, children and young people, changing the world, one project at a time. She has recently been described as “an unstoppable force in the Australian cultural landscape.” Through the power of storytelling, Aseel’s artistic practice creates awareness and facilitates connection by humanising the experiences of people who have been displaced.

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region. 

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Marketing Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au