Performance
07.05.2026
21:30
Theatro Circo (Sala Principal)
Through a close examination of ecological ecosystems being lost to rampant colonial exploitation, the performance “The Drum and the Bird” combines generative ambient audio, testimonial-style experiences, and spatial-visual modeling to highlight the voices and sounds that have been erased by time.
The piece brings together artist, designer, and musician Bill Kouligas and the organization Forensis in a multisensory exercise rooted in research conducted by the Forensic Architecture collective on German colonialism in Namibia. Although it often transcends the physical world, “The Drum and the Bird” seeks to give voice to the natural elements of Namibia and to question the collective colonial amnesia experienced today, yet a central part of the history of these territories.
Support: República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção-Geral das Artes · RTCP – Rede de Teatros e Cineteatros Portugueses
Bill Kouligas
Best known as the founder of the PAN platform, for which he has also served as artistic director and curator, Bill Kouligas is an artist, musician, and designer. Under various pseudonyms, Kouligas has been producing, composing, and releasing electronic music for nearly 20 years, having performed at venues such as the ICA in London; MoMA PS1 in New York; the Volksbühne in Berlin; the Kammerspiele in Munich; the V&A Museum in London; Spazio Maiocchi in Milan; Lafayette Anticipations in Paris; as well as at global festivals and clubs (Berghain, Sonar, Unsound, Transmediale, CTM, among others).
Forensis
Founded in Berlin in 2021, Forensis works on behalf of and in collaboration with individuals and communities affected by state and corporate violence, with the aim of supporting their demands for justice, reparations, and accountability. Its work focuses on developing cases to demand accountability for human rights violations and environmental destruction, as well as supporting claims for reparations for colonial crimes. Drawing on techniques and methodologies developed at Forensic Architecture, based at Goldsmiths (University of London), Forensis consists of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in spatial and visual research, 3D temporal reconstruction, mapping platforms, and open-source research.