Opening WIENWOCHE

To remix the late revolutionary Frantz Fanon generously, we as global majority revolt in more than one way. Simply because in the face of the unimaginable yet normalized violence of assaults, wars, genocides, systematic oppression, exploitation, extractivism and the related ecological crisis, planet earth is becoming unbreathable. Crying out the urgencies of the struggles for a world in which we all living beings on the planet can breathe again freely, this year’s WIENWOCHE invites us to BREATHE AGAIN. Moving between and with the levels of time, the opening event of BREATHE AGAIN moderated by spoken word artist Njideka Iroh will take over the space of the Prospekthof at the Academy of Fine Arts, a former royal imperial court theater scenery depot in multifaceted ways. The evening will be opened with the sonic utopian breath mattering keynote of transdisciplinary artist Soñ Gweha aka SOÑXSEED. Artistically seizing the space with the sound sculptures of the New Choir under the artistic direction of Pavel Naydenov and the distinctive sound performance of Ghostpoet, uniquely weaving together alternative hip-hop, electronica, and indie rock. While Christian Guerematchi‘s dance performance L2D unravels complexities of the power dynamics of truth construction and double consciousness, Crni Tito - Blaq Tito Addressing the Parliament of Ghosts echoes forgotten connections, struggles and presents of the Non-Aligned Movement. Ending with the captivatingly warm voice and bold storytelling presence of Mezzo-soprano Katia Ledoux, the guests will be invited to a Collective Breath Walk with multidisciplinary artist, writer, and curator Njideka Iroh moving from Prospekthof to the space of the afterparty, Celeste. Embodying Alice Walker’s words: “Hard times require furious dancing” DJ Tall, Gawdesque, YIELU, MFATICC and MZTAY are hosting, performing and curating a space that brings liberation to the dancefloor. With invited artists peeace, and Kouessan we will be moved by Afrobeat, Afrobeats, Fuji, High Life, Amapiano, Kwaito, Coupé Decalé, Alté, live performances, including  an interactive vocal jam and somatic release, Soca,  Sega, Shatta, Juke, Jersey, House, Nola, Rap, Jazz, R&B, spoken word, Tishoumaren, Dub, Reggae and the poetics of social movements.

Credits

Curator: Araba Evelyn Johnston-Arthur

Artists: New Choir, Soñ Gweha aka SOÑXSEED, Ghostpoet, Christian Guerematchi, Katia Ledoux, Njideka Iroh

Katia Ledoux

Katia Ledoux is currently one of the opera world's most quickly rising stars. Her captivating dramatic presence, passion for storytelling and warm voice boldly moves boundaries and have earned her acclaim as a key figure for the future of classical music.

Ghostpoet

Dr. Obaro Ejimiwe aka Ghostpoet, is a prominent British artist celebrated for his unique blend of alternative hip-hop, electronica, and indie rock.

His Nigerian and Dominican heritage enriches his distinctive artistic voice, which has earned notable acclaim, including  Mercury Prize nomination for his debut album, Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam (2011). 

Ghostpoet’s discography includes five acclaimed albums, reflecting his growth as an artist through genre-blending and deep explorations of urban isolation, existential angst, and the human condition. In 2020, he expanded into visual arts, exploring installation, photography, and sound art, enriching his creative expression. 

His latest EP, Am I The Change I Wish To See? (2024), continues his tradition of innovation, addressing themes of self-reflection and societal change. With two Mercury Prize nominations and a dynamic presence in music and visual arts, Ghostpoet remains a significant and evolving cultural force.

Christian Guerematchi

Christian Guerematchi (b. 1981, Slovenia) is an Amsterdam-based choreographer and performer. Trained at the Ballet Conservatory in Maribor, he danced with Ballet Maribor, Ballet Kiel, and later with Emio Greco | PC, Nicole Beutler Projects, and Compagnie Thor. His works, including White Noise (2018), NAM – Non Aligned Movement (2020), and the trilogy Epistemologies of the Body (2021–23), explore Black European identity, postcolonial histories, and Afrofuturism. Presented internationally at Ljubljana Biennale, Donaufestival, and Cinedans, Guerematchi’s interdisciplinary practice merges dance, visual art, and music, creating politically charged performances defined by artivism and non-alignment philosophy.

In cooperation with Slovenian Cultural Centre – SKICA | Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Vienna

New Choir

Defying convention and reimagining tradition, New Choir is an international ensemble that queers and reinterprets the very fabric of choral music — weaving sonic lineages from folk traditions to sacral music, from early polyphony to experimental graphic scores. Whether singing a cappella or merging our voices with live electronic soundscapes, we explore the full spectrum of sonic possibility.

For us, singing is more than performance — it is resistance, reclamation, and devotion. We seek out unexpected spaces to sing in — reclaiming the choir’s original communal power: rooted in the soil, the body, and the breath.

Founded in 2023 under the artistic direction of Pavel Naydenov (Bulgaria), New Choir has quickly found resonance across borders, taking part in international festivals and collaborative projects. We’ve performed alongside and within initiatives hosted by MUSMIG, Volkskundemuseum Wien, Museum Angewandte Kunst, WUK Performing Arts, Soho Studio, Kunst Forum Austria, Shift, and others.

Join us — as we reimagine what a choir can be:
a collective voice for memory, movement, and transformation.

Soñ Gweha aka SOÑXSEED

Soñ Gweha is a transdisciplinary artist based between the Paris region and Vienna, Austria, where they pursue a PhD in Practice. Their work traverses utopian, erotic, and spiritual imaginaries, unfolding through music, analog DJing, video, performance, installation, and collective practices. Rooted in Cameroonian and Afro-diasporic heritage, afrofuturism, and political movements, they explore Black, Queer, and visionary mythologies, weaving connections between the visible and invisible, human and non-human. Through immersive creations, Soñ Gweha invites alternative temporalities of intimacy and joy, offering spaces where grief, comfort, and celebration intertwine in a continuous dance.

Njideka Iroh

Njideka Iroh is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and curator whose work is rooted in spoken word and moves fluidly across genres, languages and media. She explores ID (entities), resistance, decolonisation, Afrofuturism, the Culture of Remembrance, and embodied knowledge.

Her practice has taken her across Europe, the US, and Nigeria, where she was part of the vibrant art networks in Lagos and Abuja. Whether in poetry, theatre, or community settings, her work investigates how stories can shift perspectives and weave connections (past, present, and future).

As a mother of two, she navigates the intersections of artistic practice and care work, letting both realms inform and challenge each other.

Afterparty WIENWOCHE

After-Party-Slogan: „Harte Zeiten erfordern wildes Tanzen“ – Alice Walker

Unsere Tanzfläche verlangt nach Befreiung. Gerade in den Zeiten, in denen wir leben, muss diese Forderung in jedem Aspekt unseres Lebens Widerhall finden. In vielen Traditionen der afrikanischen Diaspora sind Musik und Tanz Medien, die wir nicht nur für Trauer und Freude nutzen, sondern auch als Mittel, um nachzudenken, uns Dinge vorzustellen und unseren Weg in die Freiheit zu finden.

Wir laden Sie ein, den Abend mit uns zu verbringen, an dem wir durch unsere Darbietungen unsere Forderungen nach Befreiung wiederholen und uns eine gemeinsame Zukunft vorstellen werden. An diesem Abend treten DJ Tall, Gawdesque, YIELU, MFATICC, peeace. und MZTAY auf, die alle auf unterschiedliche Weise die notwendigen Räume der Befreiung schaffen werden. Dieser Abend ist auf QTBIPOC ausgerichtet, aber wir laden auch andere ein, sich diesem Raum mit Respekt anzuschließen.

Credits

Afterparty Program at Celeste curated, hosted and performed by: DJ Tall, Gawdesque, YIELU, MFATICC, MZTAY

Invited guests: peeace., Kouessan

peeace.

peeace. is a second generation DJ and cultural worker in Richmond, VA with a love for all things bass heavy and dance oriented. They enjoy genre hopping and creating immersive sets that take listeners through sounds of the black American diaspora including juke, jersey, house, bounce, rap and much more. peeace. is the creator of @hfgt.exe, a black underground platform that creates space for black femme, black queer, and black alternative people in the Richmond area. peeace. uses @hfgt.exe as a platform for independent black creatives, DJs and artists to share their work in their art in rooms that are built for them to instigate joy and communal creative exploration.

Gawdesque

The artist name "Gawdesque" honours the power of the creative spirit - the god-esque in us - and serves as a personal affirmation of said spirit.

They celebrate their heritage and its global branches through the music they play; West and South African genres and those of its diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean to create an eclectic blend of sounds to lift community spirit, lubricate the spinal joints, let the calories burn and ask for consent to make the back bend. 

Notable places they've deejayed at include Transdimensional 2025, Gatafiera's "Sudaca Ataca" album release party, Eddy Festival 2024 and 4lthangrund's "The Great Relief" at Wiener Festwochen.

DJ Tall

DJ Tall is the soca DJ of the schwarzenfreude collective, aiming to bring immaculate Caribbean vibes to every party. From slow beats for a 2-step, to up-tempo bangers for a wuck-up, the vibrant and playful music of his repertoire is sure to loosen hips and get the crowd bumping. If you want to party---leaving it all on the dancefloor---then good. So does he.  

YIELU

YIELU is a singer, songwriter, and poet exploring the reclamation of self and power. 

MZTAY

MZTAY is a Vienna-based DJ and cultural worker originally from Atlanta, Georgia, looking to bring out feelings of nostalgia, joyy, reflection, and of course the need to move. They play with many genres, including alternative r&b, house, hip-hop, jazz, bounce, among others. Their goal is to always have you bring a new song home with you. 

MFATICC

MFATICC explores herself through music, weaving together sounds, with Reggae and Dancehall being the cornerstone of her musical journey. Since 2022, she aims to participate in creating spaces where people of the global majority can feel the feels in peace.

Kouessan

Kouessan is a guitarist and composer who strives to combine musical elements from different eras and regions.