The Mongrel: Shawn Nayar
The figure of the Mongrel emerges from British Imperial rule where the Empire, fearing the "mongrelization" of the white race, isolated Anglo-Indians from both British and Indian communities. These imperial orderings bind the rippling contours of the Mongrel’s body and carry mangled histories of exclusion and resistance.
This performance work navigates the contradictory narratives that emerge when tracing Anglo-Indian and mixed race histories, placing physically intense choreography within the spectacle of a ritual to confront this conflicting tale of ancestry. Live vocals entwine with abrasive choreographic arrangements, layering to erupt as violent cathartic releases - acts of radical self-care that seek to upturn and disrupt colonial legacies.
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Presented by Take Me Somewhere 2025.
Shawn Nayar is a performing artist who traces queer diasporic histories to expose the violence embedded in their colonial fractures. As these histories are tumultuous, his body of work contorts to capture them by facilitating critical discourse across intrinsic movement pieces, multimedia installations, and performance lectures.
By allowing his body to inhabit different facets of a complex lived experience, he creates collective encounters that encourage audiences to engage with historical legacies in the present moment.
He has made work for Riposte raves (London) and Scottish Festivals such as Buzzcut and Edinburgh Art Festival, most recently performing at Actoral Festival (France).
Age restriction: Recommended for age 15+
Organiser of The Mongrel: Shawn Nayar
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