Conquest of the Garden

CONQUEST OF THE GARDEN takes inspiration from Forough Farrakhzad, a feminist poet whose work in 1950’s Iran was seen as highly transgressive as a result of its criticism of the position of women in Iranian society.

Nebahat Erpolat, Hellen Sky, Sahra Davoodi and Victoria Chui perform in this intercultural and intergenerational work, exploring the central ideas from Farrakhzad’s poem, subscribing these onto the moving body, uncovering the transgressive power of poetry and dance to underpin connection across cultures.

Farrakhzad’s poetry presents urgent questions about women’s roles in our society and centers women’s subjective voices as architects of their own lived experience. The melding of artistic forms through poetry, dance and sound enable experimentation with own voices, and a powerful reclamation of female identity to explore the multiplicities and complexities of Middle Eastern women’s identity.

Approximate running time: 50 minutes 
Warnings: Strobe, Nudity, Dynamic Soundtrack or Loud Noises

For accessible and wheelchair bookings please contact: ticketing@darebin.vic.gov.au.

Image by Gregory Lorenzutti