The Language of the birds

Friday May 31st at 6:30pm
Saturday June 1st at 6:30pm
836M Gallery

Sahba Aminikia is creating an extraordinary multi-media experience for his 5-month residency at 836M. The Language of the Birds—sometimes known as The Conference of the Birds—is a poem by the 12th-century mystic Attar of Nishapur and among the most treasured Sufi writings, revered by Rumi and others over centuries. Attar’s poem comes alive for a new age in this musical and visual adaptation, which follows a group of birds who overcome doubts and fears to set off in search of a mythical king who will make the world right. Their quest is both a migration in witness of this flawed world and a journey of spiritual transformation, as they finally understand that the king they are searching for is none other than themselves, acting as one for the good of all.

The residency will culminate in two one-hour performances, with collaborators including writer and translator Zara Houshmand, the Living Earth Show (guitarist Travis Andrews and percussionist Andy Meyerson), renowned ensembles of the San Francisco Girl’s Chorus, multidisciplinary artist, musician, composer, director, and educator David Coulter, media artist John Sanborn, and singer Marjan Vahdat.