ARTolerance seeks to create common ground between peoples of different national, cultural, social, and religious backgrounds using artistic tools and processes. Experiencing harmony and dissonance and exploring musical modes of different cultures through improvisation require mindfulness and compassionate listening, qualities that are essential to creating dialogue. Through our proposed platform, Dialogue in Three Movements, we aspire to give a voice to all individuals, particularly those who have historically been in conflict, and inspire everyone to build bridges towards peaceful co-existence.
Dialogue in 3 Movements: An artistically driven approach to conflict transformation
1) Solo Introductions
In a workshop or public event, individual artists will present a solo to introduce their identity, whether it be cultural, religious, political, artistic or social. Subsequently, participating religious, political, academic and community leaders will share their identities through speaking, chanting, praying or any other form of expression.
2) Getting to Know You
Connecting in a closer physical space, artists will communicate through improvisation and existing works, utilizing active listening and creativity. As an example, a painter may take the percussive qualities of accented notes heard in the music and change his brush strokes to match the angular and abrupt qualities. A dancer may take the curves she hears in the melodic line to mimic the curves through her movements. Guided by the artistic experience, on-stage participants and audience members will develop communication methods in small group settings.
3) Common Language: Fusion without Confusion
In the culminating movement, the artists will be on center stage to present a collaborative piece that exhibits all of their individual identities yet is cohesive and unified. Each artist’s identity is maintained while coexisting with the others to create a beautiful tapestry of culture, religion and genre. The climactic arrival is for participants to collectively articulate steps towards building greater understanding and tolerance.