The New Folk(lore) project brings together 10 individual performing artists to create works inspired by Ghanaian folklore and centered around the theme "Rewriting Folklore for Now". These artists are solo performers whose practice is in music, dance and associated genres, and who are working to see how stories can change our perspectives. Presentations will be made as five chapters over the next five months, with two artists presenting their work for each chapter.

Chapter One: Sutra & Jackeline

"Song of Sogolon"
Inspired by the overlap between adowa and music from Mali, Jackeline Fadel explores another aspect of the Sundiata myth from the perspective of his mother, Sogolon. 

"Does God Not Like This Body?"
Loosely based on the legend of Aku Sika, a sonic exploration of how Ghanaian communities view women's bodies, disability, and sensuality.

For two nights only at Terra Alta (Abelenkpe junction bus stop), starting at 7.30pm daily. Limited seats available. Please come wearing a nose mask and be prepared to follow all COVID-19 protocols.

STARRING
Sutra & Jackeline Fadel

Directed by Elisabeth Efua Sutherland
Project Mentors: Kofi 'Beatmenace' Ansah & Vivian Boateng

This project is made possible with support from the Institute Francaise d'Accra

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

SUTRA
Performing under mononym, Sutra is a Ghanaian + British multidisciplinary artist and medical doctor based between Accra and London. Her creative work in music, film and literary art explores the dynamic power of voice and the art of storytelling as an act of individual and collective resistance. Inspired by her childhood in Ghana and her own experiences of intersectionality, she presents this version of power to her audience through her work. 
In 2015, she released her first body of work as a musician. Titled The Art of Being, the mixtape was released on Soundcloud to rave reviews, and was picked up a day later by BBC Wales. Its lead track, Where You Are, was played on The Adam Walton Show, leading to live shows in London, Cardiff and Bristol. 

In 2017, Sutra co-directed and released her first film piece, titled Waves/The Water, or W. Shot in Accra, Ghana, W combined songs from her mixtape into a stunning visual narrative that drew from Akan philosophy and symbolism to explore womanhood, rebirth and spirituality. Later that year, it opened and won the Achievement in Narrative Short Film award at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in San Francisco. W has since been screened in London, Tokyo & Yaounde as part of the Ya Photo & Digital Africa series (2017), and again in London by the British Film Institute as part of its No Direct Flight festival (2019).

In 2018, Sutra went on to release her second music project Marrow with an accompanying book of poetry. She launched these in a sold out show in London and this was followed by a pop up event the year after, in Accra. Her book has sold out twice on Amazon and in physical retailers in Ghana.
Sutra graduated from medical school in 2016. Her work as a fully-qualified doctor has been a complex, rewarding path that has fuelled her creativity through a deeper understanding of human connection and the human experience. She has a background in emergency medicine and will be completing her residency in General Practice.

JACKELINE

Jackeline Fadel is a dancer, composer, and director who is passionate and determined. Her interests in history, storytelling, literature, art and music has fuelled her works: (The Shell, 2018; Atlas and the Journey of the Seven Stars, 2017, Metamorphosis, 2017). She enjoys exploring topics that engages logic, metaphysics, philosophy, and psychology. She believes that art is a medium of communication between the spirit, the soul and the mind. She enjoys writing and, based on experience, has written a script "So Close" (a dance film addressing usually underrated mental health issues) which she is currently directing and producing.
She is a performer and is delving into other forms of art, merging the arts such as Dance and Film, storytelling and publishing. She is an informal composer; composing music for both The Shell (2018) and Atlas and the Journey of the Seven Stars (2017). She is an alumni of the School of Performing Arts (2018) with First Class Hons in Bachelor of Fine Arts. She has been working with Vivie's Dance Factory since 2016. She is currently exploring other styles of dance.