First Cut (The Hague, NL) and The New Flesh (London, UK) have joined forces to curate an online screening series: ‘Common(ing) Thread’.

We have found a common ground in facilitating new questions surrounding the intersections between body, costume and society. We believe that subversive costume can expose and challenge the conventions of body politics. How is the (costumed) body recognised, understood and regulated? 

We call for experimental video works from artists based in the UK or the Netherlands that engage with the politics of costume, or how costuming practices can be read as a political act. Artists will be paired and invited to engage in a dialogue with one another that will be published alongside the screenings.

Deadline: Friday 4th February 2022, midnight.

About us

The New Flesh

The New Flesh is an artist residency and platform to support early career moving image artists who employ experimental use of costume in their work. By facilitating a residency within Academy Costumes, one of the UK’s leading costumiers for stage and screen, The New Flesh offers artists the chance to explore the transgressive, revolutionary and radical nature of costume both historically and in society today.

The New Flesh was founded by Georgie Brinkman, and works in partnership with LUX and Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, with financial support from Arts Council England.

www.new-flesh.com

First Cut

First Cut is a platform for screenings and conversations around independent/radical/experimental films by emerging artists based in The Hague. First Cut calls for transformative films that stem from socio-political inquiries.

While The Hague is internationally branded as the city of Peace and Justice, First Cut welcomes audio-visual practices that question and expand this premise. First Cut aims to host artistic interventions and radical responses to our international society and its politics, bridging emerging artists and local communities in The Hague.

First Cut invites perspectives from multiple modes of production and backgrounds with which to read our political contexts and reshape a collective imagination. We especially encourage filmmakers with decolonial, feminist, queer and nonnormative perspectives to submit their films.

First Cut is founded by Cristina Lavosi, Hattie Wade, and Cyan Bae.

www.firstcut.nl

Screening Fees

At this stage, we offer a symbolic screening fee of €35/£30. We are searching for funding, and will update on this page if the fee manages to increase! As artists, we asked ourselves what a beneficial exchange would be, and we hope that we can offer the beginning of a new artistic relationship between individuals in the Netherlands and the UK.

Timeline

Open call:
16 January – 4 February

Decision by:
11 February

Artist pairs will be introduced and carry out conversations:
11 February – 1 March

Pair One online screening:
1 March – 8 March

Pair Two online screening:
9 March – 16 March

Pair Three online screening:
17 March – 24 March

Further info

We advise you to take a look at the FAQs, as well as either of our websites for full details and conditions of the open call: www.firstcut.nl or www.new-flesh.com/commoning-thread.

Artwork by Daeun Lim @studio_eemda