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OPEN STUDIO – Ein kollaboratives Theaterlabor für Inszenierung mit Klang

«Imagine A Black Child»
Zainab J Lascandri supported by Fatima Moumouni, Tracy September & Brandy Butler

PerformanceMusic

An invitation to listen – four groups of artists explore how sound can be staged in Dimitri de Perrot's OPEN STUDIO and share their search for new forms of theatre in public performances.

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  • Tue 16/1220:00

    Premiere followed by a snack and drink reception

    Südbühne

    Remaining tickets at the box office

  • Wed 17/1218:00

    Südbühne

    Remaining tickets at the box office

  • Wed 17/1220:00

    Südbühne

    Remaining tickets at the box office

  • Thu 18/1220:00

    Südbühne

In her work, Zainab J Lascandri blurs categories, deconstructs attributions and creates spaces beyond established norms. Copyright: Zainab J Lascandri

In OPEN STUDIO, artists from various disciplines are collaborating with the sound artist, director and stage designer Dimitri de Perrot to explore productions that use sound as a central creative medium. They are developing ideas, perspectives, and artistic approaches: How can sound be used to think, design, narrate?

Performer, musician, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary artist Zainab J Lascandri brings the polyphonic archive IMAGINE A BLACK CHILD as source material for the first OPEN STUDIO. It consists of her own text work, recorded sounds and produced sounds, and condenses diasporic experiences in the Swiss context: from childhood in the 1980s and 90s to growing up in the 2000s to motherhood and aging in the present. It consists of her own text work, recorded sounds, and produced sounds, and condenses diasporic experiences in the Swiss context: from childhood in the 1980s and 90s to coming of age in the 2000s to motherhood and aging in the present. Accompanied by Fatima Moumouni, Tracy September, and Brandy Butler, Lascandri edits fragments, scenes, and moods and transforms them into a sonic-scenic form. At the center: invisibility—as a social experience, as an aesthetic strategy, as a frequency of the unsaid. What is the texture of concealment? What future does the echo carry? Between sound studies, speculative fiction, and subversive humor, Lascandri explores how pleasure and joy unfold hope as spaces of resonance.

Artist talk

On 17.12., there will be a talk with the artists after the performance at 8 p.m.

Information on accessibility and language

  • Stepless access

  • Audience situation: There is no seating; however, chairs and beanbags (reservation required) are available to meet accessibility requirements.

  • Language: Spoken English and German

  • Sensory stimuli: Partially high volume and deep bass, relatively dark room

  • Content information: Thematisation of racism

For over ten years, sound artist Dimitri de Perrot has been exploring the intersection of sound, space, and staging in his creations. OPEN STUDIO is a project that represents the logical progression of this practice – and an artistic act of sharing. Here, de Perrot invites other artists to explore the possibilities of sound-based narrative forms in their own language and aesthetic. 

The themes range from transnational distance (RRRRRR Collective) to patriarchal attributions (Papst/Glanzmann) to the experiences of Black people in Europe (Fazil On Yu) and the invisibility of marginalized identities (Zainab Lascandri). All projects are based on biographical fragments, interviews, or personal archives and transform them into poetically condensed sound spaces.

It's worth coming back several times:

‘OPEN STUDIO: Imagine A Black Child’ by Zainab J Lascandri supported by Fatima Moumouni, Tracy September & Brandy Butler
16th, 17th, 18th December 2025

‘OPEN STUDIO: Wen Keng We Meet? – On Connection’ by RRRRRR Collective / Keng Chen, Wen-Chi Liu, Eneas Nikolai Prawdzic, Dino Radoncic, Nathalie Stirnimann and Stefan Stojanovic
29, 30, 31 January 2026

‘OPEN STUDIO: unerhört undgestört’ by Vincent Glanzmann & Anna Papst
26, 27, 28 February 2026

‘OPEN STUDIO: Until They Hear Black Voices’ by Fazil On Yu
26, 27, 28 March 2026

  • Artists from various fields work together at OPEN STUDIO.

    Dimitri de Perrot is leading the project.

    The focus is on sound.

    Zainab J Lascandri is bringing a collection of material with her.

    The collection is called IMAGINE A BLACKCHILD.

    The collection shows the experiences of black people in Switzerland.

    The experiences are from the 1980s to the present day.

    Fatima Moumouni, Tracy September and Brandy Butler help Zainab J

    Lascandri.

    They turn the experiences into a mixture of sound and theatre.

    The themes are invisibility, silence and hope.

    Hope is expressed through desire and humour.

  • Artists

    Zainab J Lascandri, supported by Fatima Moumouni, Tracy September & Brandy Butler

    RRRRRR Collective: Keng Chen, Wen-Chi Liu, Eneas Nikolai Prawdzic, Dino Radoncic, Nathalie Stirnimann, Stefan Stojanovic
    Special thanks to Jinn Cheung and Zou Siyan

    Anna Papst / Vincent Glanzmann

    Fazil On Yu

    Documentation

    Text documentation: Smilla Diener, Salomé Voegelin

    Video documentation: Jessie Fischer

    Team Studio DdP

    Concept, artistic direction, and production: Dimitri de Perrot

    Sound engineering: Max Molling

    Lighting design: Karl Egli / Groups

    Set construction: Leo Hoffmann

    Stage: Lea Meierhofer

    Technical direction: Raphaël Vuilleumier

    Communication and think tank: Christoph Meier

    Production

    Verein Studio DdP

    Co-Production

    Gessnerallee

  • Zainab J Lascandri is a performer, musician, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary artist. Her practice moves between popular culture and contemporary art, between collective processes and personal expression. In her work, she blurs categories, deconstructs attributions and creates spaces beyond established norms.

    Dimitri de Perrot lives and works in Zurich. He began his artistic career in the 1990s as a DJ and turntablist and developed into a sound artist, director and stage designer, as well as a lecturer at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). His work focuses on storytelling with sound and space at the intersection of theatre, music and visual arts.

  • City of Zurich Culture, Canton of Zurich Culture Office, Landis & Gyr Foundation, Hans F. Tellenbach Foundation.

    The project ‘Imagine A Black Child’ by Zainab J Lascandri is also supported by Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council.

    Dimitri de Perrot / Studio DdP is supported by the City and Canton of Zurich with a concept grant / multi-year group grant for 2024-2027. He is ‘Artist in Residence’ at Le Centquatre – Paris.

    OPEN STUDIO uses elements from the stage play NIEMANDSLAND by Dimitri de Perrot; the corresponding credits can be found on his website.

Copyright: Zainab J Lascandri

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