Duration: 50 min
Premiere – Saturday 14 March 2026 at Rich Mix – London
Part of Certain Blacks’ Black Athena Festival 2026
Van Huynh manages something quite rare here: turning very real, visceral anger into a thing of beauty. It’s a political, sweaty mess, and utterly human.’ Fjord Review on Exquisite Noise
“Elaine Mitchener is a singer who redefines what singing means.” The Guardian
Concept: Dam Van Huynh
Choreography: Dam Van Huynh in collaboration with Elaine Mitchener
Performance and Vocal improvisations: Elaine Mitchener
Music, Sound & Lights: Michael Picknett
Production Management: Michael Picknett
Photography: Sarah Hickson
If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution. Emma Goldman
A ‘performative graffiti’ that transforms the space into a living canvas of collective energy, Graffiti Bodies XV overlays movement, sound art, poetry, sculpture and visual imagery. Responding to Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1981 painting La Hara addressing police brutality against marginalised urban communities, the performance reflects on the theme of marginalisation through a sensory overload of movement and a cacophony of sound and visual noise. Graffiti Bodies XV urges us to resist the cyclical nature of history and sparks a discussion on who controls the narratives, reminding us that creativity thrives on the streets and amidst community settings.
A new Certain Blacks commission with further support from Centre 151
Reviews
Jazzwise
“Graffiti Bodies XV is more of a death disco, a thought-provoking if not utterly disquieting commentary on the long history of police brutality in the black Diaspora.”
Dance Art Journal
“In a world where it feels like injustice and oppression repeats itself in different guises with every news story and social media post, Graffiti Bodies XV reminds us that amongst the multiple layers of shittery, there are always layers upon layers of hope, justice and community to look for as well.”