Kaya Tominaga’s Journey Home
September 7 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Presented in partnership with VENTspace and developed and performed in collaboration with UQ Taiko, Kaya Tominaga’s debut feature-length show ‘Journey Home’ was an opportunity for attendees to grab a drink, cross pollinate amongst each other and reflect on their own experiences of belonging and the meaning of home. Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre has facilitated a space for artists of a range of cultural backgrounds for more than three decades, fostering a supportive environment for these practitioners to express their unique perspective through a variety of mediums.
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Kaya Tominaga has encapsulated her cultural identity, a nod to her roots, with use of traditional Japanese percussive instruments and costume with ‘Journey Home’, backed by the the UQ Taiko ensemble, is a force to be reckoned with. Tominaga has been performing as a Taiko drummer since 2013, learning from teachers across Australia and Japan, and ‘Journey Home’ offers an opportunity for her to demonstrate expertise both instrumentally and vocally, not shying away from screaming at the top of her lungs, which at certain intervals closely resembled a war cry, and fluid body language to further accentuate each movement she made while hitting the drum with full force.
The explanation at the start of ‘Journey Home’ was not fully clear, and partly left up to the audience’s interpretation of the true meaning of the performance. The performance itself was multidimensional, each act chose to feature a different selection of instruments and musical ideas, and intonations. The start of the performance made the viewer feel more at ease with the instruments used in a way that was complementary to one another, and creating harmony. Other parts of the performance felt off putting and unsettling, and in some ways felt like they asked the audience a question through the repetitive hits of the drum, “Are you ready?” There were vocals and dialogue that featured throughout, but not all was spoken in English. Tominaga uses ‘Journey Home’ as a medium to raise questions to the audience about themselves and the way that they see the world.
As local Brisbane audiences took their seats for ‘Journey Home’, set in an industrial theatre space that made for an intimate gathering, using the delayed start to the performance as a chance to reconnect with old friends, it was not long until the cacophony of percussive instrumentation filled the empty spaces with a deadset rhythm that could be felt deep within one’s bones. Take this as a sign to explore the BEMAC 2024 season, and join your local Brisbane community to share appreciation for diverse cultures as is the case with Tominaga’s artistic vision brought to life with ‘Journey Home’.
About BEMAC Unplugged
BEMAC Unplugged is a series of shows that recreate the intimate vibe of BEMAC’s shows at Yungaba, showcasing diverse talent and inviting cross-cultural collaboration. For more information about BEMAC’s program of upcoming events, visit bemac.org.au/events
VENTspace
23 Glenelg Street, South Brisbane
Review: Joanna Letic