Breaking the silence of iconic British cultural venues. Soumik Datta and a 40 strong cast of dancers and musicians reclaim empty spaces like the British Museum & The Royal Albert Hall and create a series of 6 films and songs
Reclaiming iconic cultural spaces, performance halls and empty museums that have been out of action during the COVID-19 pandemic, and breaking their silences with new music, dance and hope, ‘Silent Spaces’ is a powerful new project, a 6 part series of videos and brand new music album led by musician Soumik Datta and a diverse community of musicians, dancers and artists.
A creative lockdown response driven by a pervading sense of Covid-induced personal and professional loneliness, Silent Spaces was envisioned by musician, composer and TV presenter Soumik Datta (Rhythms of India – BBC Four), and directed by award-winning filmmaker Souvid Datta. It sees the brothers join a diverse team of British Asian, black and ethnic minority musicians and dancers as they venture into iconic venues and spaces: 1. British Museum 2. The Royal Albert Hall in London, 3. Depot Mayfield in Manchester 4. The Sage in Gateshead, 5. Hawkwood College and 6. Kings Cross Train Station. Produced by charity Soumik Datta Arts (SDA), the resulting six films explore resonant themes in keeping with the choice of venue – confronting issues around mental health, activism, the environment, colonisation and identity. Ultimately – by reconnecting and facing these pertinent and often uncomfortable issues through creativity – the performers were rewarded with a sense of hope for the future of the arts industry and its role in shaping cultural conversations for the better.
The series of films will be released online, in partnership with the venues, Arts Council England, Timberland, WeTransfer, Bagri Foundation and Dishoom, coinciding with an album release, a behind the scenes documentary film commissioned by WePresent and a radio documentary co-produced with BBC Radio.
From loneliness to empowerment
As the pandemic continues to develop, so does the inertia for artists and musicians. For Soumik Datta – a sarod virtuoso, composer and co-founder of Soumik Datta Arts – life was affected profoundly by lockdown. Like many of his peers, work immediately dried up and suddenly Soumik was tested by the fragility of his mental health. This all took place under the backdrop of the George Floyd murder, the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement and a new and mainstream conversation about race and identity. An ongoing process of reflection with peers and his brother and filmmaker Souvid led to lockdown projects such as @ourhopenotes and Sounds of Silence for BBC Radio 3, forging a sense of community and solidarity. Silent Spaces was born out of this, as a collaborative arts project – aiming to inspire hope through adversity and engage with the critical issues of our times.
Taking place over a 12 week period in early 2021, Soumik and Souvid, alongside producer Melanie Cura Daball and manager Minal Mehta, organised a series of complex and Covid-secure shoots involving over 40 cast and crew across the country. Reactivating each space through a series of collaborative and creative outpourings, the teams recorded their every breath and move, immersing themselves within the buildings peering through a historical lens, unwrapping, evaluating and connecting with the purpose of the specific architectural shell and incredibly for the participants, often exploring corners that in normal circumstances would be off-limits or impossible to enter.