Sajan Mani

Stilt roots to postpone the end of the world
Saturday 9.9. between 15-18
Venue: Aurajoki riverside, near Tuomiokirkkosilta (Linnankatu 1, 20100 Turku)
Duration: 3 hours
The performance takes place in a public space and doesn't require pre-booking.

Political Yoga - Environmental Justice Edition
Sunday 10.9. at 12:00
Venue: Vanha Viinatehdas, Manilla, Itäinen Rantakatu 64b, 20810 Turku
Duration: 60-90min
Pre-booking is possible, but tickets will also be available at the venue, 15 minutes before the performance. Pre-bookings here.

Arrival and accessibility information will be updated at the bottom of the page

Stilt roots to postpone the end of the world 

The installation-performance titled Stilt* roots to postpone the end of the world** by artist Sajan Vazhakaparambil Kolavan Mani explores a collective indigenous cosmological perspective on bodies, water, and space as a continuation of his decolonial inquiries. The work is inspired by the revolutionary activities of late Kallen Pokkudan, an indigenous Dalit environmental activist who planted mangroves across Kerala’s shores as a silent environmental activism.

As a climate change-concerned artist, Sajan engages with indigenous communities’ practices and imaginations in Kerala, in which trees, stones, and animals share a life. Through performing with the Aura River in Turku as part of the New Performance Biennale and interacting daily with the multispecies surroundings, Sajan aims to establish shared cosmologies between Indigenous communities in Finland and Keralam. He believes that collective futures can exist by leaving behind disaster capitalism’s extractive practices and imaginations.

Kallen Pokudan, also known as The Mangrove Man of India, was an environmental activist hailing from Kerala, India. He dedicated his life to the protection and proliferation of mangroves in Kerala, and his efforts earned him numerous accolades, including the State Forest Department’s first Vanamithra award, the Harithavyakthi award, the P V Thampi Environmentalist award, and the Bhoomi Mithra award. Kallen Pokudan preferred to be called Kandal Pokkudan, which translates to “Mangrove Pokkudan” in Malayalam, reflecting his deep commitment to mangrove forestation.

*Mangroves roots are Stilt roots 
**inspired from the title ‘Ideas to postpone the end of the World’ by AILTON KRENAK (socio-environmental activist and campaigner for Indigenous rights)

Political Yoga – Environmental Justice Edition

Political Yoga is an ongoing artistic research project led by Sajan Mani, which examines how social, cultural, and geopolitical power imbalances are perpetuated in personal meditation and body practices. The project aims to collaborate with participants in exploring the potential for a decolonized and inclusive yoga school, analyzing movements and gestures while developing new forms of body language.

The Turku edition of Political Yoga takes a fresh approach by focusing on climate justice, climate refugees, and ecology, reflecting on the relationship between environmental issues and social justice.

Sajan Mani is a visual and performance artist born into a family of rubber tappers in Keralam, South India. His work centers the realities of marginalized people of India, the correspondence between animals and humans and ecological questions. Recently, he initiated the transdisciplinary project “Wake-up calls for my ancestors”, investigating colonial archives in Europe from a Dalit and indigenous cosmology. 

Sajan was the first Indian to be awarded the Berlin Art Prize in 2021. He has participated in international biennales, festivals, exhibitions and residencies, including The INHABIT, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, DE (2022), Galerie Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, CA (2021-22) Lokame Tharavadu Kochi Biennale Foundation, IN (2021), Times Art Center Berlin, DE (2021) Nome Gallery, Berlin (2021) CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, No (2019); Ord & Bild, SE (2019); India Art Fair (2019); “Specters of Communism”, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2017); Dhaka Art Summit, Bangladesh (2016); Kampala Art Biennale, Uganda (2016); Kolkata International Performance Arts Festival (2014–16); and Vancouver Biennale, CA (2014). In 2022 he was awarded the Prince Claus Mentorship Award and Breakthrough Artist of The Year from Hello India Art Awards.

Arrival and accessibility information

Political Yoga – Environmental Justice Edition

Vanha Viinatehdas is located in Manilla’s courtyard (Itäinen Rantakatu 64 B) and there is a free disabled parking space in the inner yard.

All the toilets as well as disabled toilet are located in the lobby and are gender-neutral.

The language of the performance is English.

More information:
Lotta Valtanen, lotta@newperformance.fi