Being Biracial

Leah Manaema Avene, a Tuvaluan-Irish artist and therapist, Lauren Mullings, an Afro-Caribbean writer and arts leader, and Theresa Angela, a Filipino-Australian storyteller, delve into the complex themes surrounding identity and community. They discuss the detrimental effects of productivity on creativity, the importance of cultural safety, and the impact of historical narratives on artistic expression. The conversation highlights their shared commitment to authentic relationships and the transformative power of art in navigating personal and collective experiences.

Matisse Laida is an artist whose practice is based around community and food. They are the founder of We Eatin’ Good, a platform for queer people of colour to come together.Anthony 'Banda' Bandalan is a producer who cares deeply about community cultivation and uplifting his creative counterparts. Nickila De Silva is an artist who creates across video, music and writing. Her work explores collaboration and how it can exist alongside hierarchy and power. We interviewed Matisse, Banda and Nickila, as part of Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Block Partee.We chat about:Hierarchy and power in the artsNetworking being a white conceptPerformative leadershipWhen gatekeeping is goodQueer people becoming removed from our culturesConnecting people through foodArt is archival and friendshipCode switching your practice Reflections on creating art together and apart How sharehouses shape usThe challenges of working within institutions Food that makes us feel the mostHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuests: Matisse Laida, Anthony Bandalan and Nickila De SilvaMusic by: The Green TwinsEdited by: Kate RobinsonSpecial thanks: Multicultural Arts Victoria, City of Darebin, Creative Victoria, Creative Australia, Melbourne Polytechnic, Victoria Government and VicHealth’s Future Reset Program.This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations.You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vijay is an audio-visual and laser artist of Sri Lankan Tamil and Cornish descent, born in Naarm. His practice fuses analogue sound synthesis with cutting-edge creative technologies. Vijay is known for creating immersive environments under the moniker Xenosine. We chat about: A Glastonbury love storyFamily attempts to break up his parentsA Hell’s Angel member ends racismLeaning into music as an identityExploration and play in creative practice The Melbourne Electronic Sound StudioBringing Oblation to lifeWorking with Pirashanna Thevarajah & Hari SivanesanDislocation and taking up spaceHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuest: Vijay ThillaimuthuMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Maria Birch-MorungaSpecial thanks: The SubstationThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations. You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ayman Kaake is a photo-media visual artist and performance creator whose work explores the complexities of isolation that come from starting a new life away from Lebanon.MzRizk is a Lebanese Australian DJ, radio presenter, live performer and event curator. Ezz Monem is a photo-based artist, who repurposes and transforms images, drawing on his experience growing up in Egypt and migrating to Australia. We interviewed Ezz, Ayman and MzRizk at the Arts Centre Melbourne, as part of Art Souk.We chat about:Everyone being an EngineerComing out as an artistDan’s first radio show at 6 years oldZaffé The rebrand of gossip to community newsManipulating found footageDance as resistanceUsing your camera to talkHow family relationships change when you leave homeNostalgic supermarket piecesHalal v Haram art projectsSally Field was the real kickstart for IslamophobiaHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuests: Ayman Kaake, Ezz Monem and MzRizkMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Kate RobinsonSpecial thanks: Multicultural Arts Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Creative Victoria, Creative Australia, City of Melbourne and MzRizk for curating this incredible event.  This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples. We pay our respects to the Elders of these lands past and present and also acknowledge the neighbouring Kulin Nation groups, the Boonwurrung and Bunurong people. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land. You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bexx Djentuh-Davis is a Māori and Ghanaian filmmaker, producer, event curator and queer youth worker.Gabriela Gonzalez is a Chilean visual artist, sound producer, photographer and broadcaster. We interviewed Bexx and Gabriela at the Arts Centre Melbourne, as part of Art Souk.We chat about:Bexx on her Nana’s boxes of letters and photosGabriela talks bad break up one linersCollaborating across the world The necessity of creating art while the world is burningArt as a personal archiveGabriela’s pivot to pottery to move away from misinformation on screensBexx stepping into her creative main character energy The tightrope of creating personal art - Am I ganna get smacked?Pointless meetings The We Eatin Good Bitch filmHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuests: Bexx Djentuh-Davis and Gabriela GonzalezMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Maria Birch-MorungaSpecial thanks: Multicultural Arts Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Creative Victoria, Creative Australia, City of Melbourne and MzRizk for curating this incredible event.  This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples. We pay our respects to the Elders of these lands past and present and also acknowledge the neighbouring Kulin Nation groups, the Boonwurrung and Bunurong people. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land. You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scotty So is a Melbourne/Narrm-based artist who works across media, including ceramic, painting, photography, sculptures videos, and drag performance.Joel Bray is Wiradjuri artist, dancer, choreographer, actor and writer. We interviewed Scotty and Joel at MPavilion, as part of their season 11 Homeground series.We chat about:Kimono collectionsPlaying with perspectiveDouble entendreIncorporating sex into artScarlett So Hung Son popping up on the newsHow humour shows up in their practiceLip synching to celloJoel’s guide to audience participationScotty is a time travellerJoel’s two degrees of separation from BeyonceCreating site specific workCollaborating with EldersFoyer chats and openings: yay or nay? Hosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuests: Scotty So and Joel BrayMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Maria Birch-MorungaSpecial thanks: MPavilionThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations.You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the final episode of season 2 of Being Biracial! Today we are chatting to each other about: Our reflections on this season  How age impacts our conversations about being mixed-race Processing identity through the creation of art Maria’s experience at the Matariki wānanga  Threads at the Immigration Museum The difficulty of creating work about deeply personal things Family secretsHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Kate RobinsonThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations.You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steph Tisdell is Aboriginal (Yindiji) and white Australian. She is an actor, tv writer, former comedian and author of the YA novel The Skin I’m In.We chat about:  Her white Dad’s surprising DNA results Hearts mown into lawns The responsibility we feel in our family units Diversity within diversity Well intended white teachers Bringing The Skin I’m In to life How the characters relate (and don’t relate) to Steph’s life The self indulgent joy of writing young adult fiction Reactions to her book Kinship adoptionHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuest: Steph TisdellMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Maria Birch-MorungaThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations, and our guest joined us from land of the Turrbal and Jagera people. You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faustina Agolley (Fuzzy) is Ghanaian and Chinese Malaysian. She hosted Video Hits, was a DJ for Oprah and is a writer, producer and presenter. We chat about:  A london love story ft The Temptations  Growing up in a multi-generational Chinese household Having too much on her plate to study Chinese Learning about her dad through his music Going to Ghana Blackness being a celebration of the self  DJing for Oprah Hosting Video Hits Learning from Alicia KeysHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuest: Faustina AgolleyMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Kate RobinsonThis podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations, and our guest joined us from land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olana Janfa is an Ethiopian-Norwegian, Naarm-based artist. We interviewed Olana at The Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre in Dandenong where his exhibition Too Much Drama is showing till September 2024.We chat about:  How Olana began creating The works in his current exhibit Too Much Drama Olana’s iconic font and art style What home means to him Being black in Australia and Norway What’s next for his art careerHosted by: Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate RobinsonGuest: Olana JanfaSpecial thanks to: The City of Greater Dandenong & The Walker Street Gallery and Arts CentreMusic by: the Green TwinsEdited by: Maria Birch-MorungaThis podcast was recorded live on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the eastern Kulin Nations.You can find us on Instagram @beingbiracialpodcast or send us an email at beingbiracialpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.