Miwa Matreyek: Infinitely Yours & This World Made Itself in Abu Dhabi

Performance meets animation at the intersection of cinematic and theatrical, fantastical and tangible, and illusionistic and physical in evocative explorations of the earth and the environment.

This World Made Itself | Infinitely Yours features two works by Miwa Matreyek. Each piece features Miwa’s unique interdisciplinary shadow performance. She creates live, staged performances where she interacts with her projected animations as a shadow silhouette, creating a dreamlike visual space that makes invisible worlds visible, often weaving surreal and poetic narratives of conflict between man and nature. Her work exists both in the realm of the hand-made and digital.

The evening’s program includes:
A visually and musically-rich journey through the history of the earth, from the universe's epic beginnings to the complex world of humans. The piece is at once semi-scientific (like flipping through a children's encyclopedia), and emotional and dream-like, rich in surrealism, metaphor, and fantasy.

This World Made Itself
A visually and musically-rich journey through the history of the earth, from the universe's epic beginnings to the complex world of humans. The piece is at once semi-scientific (like flipping through a children's encyclopedia), and emotional and dream-like, rich in surrealism, metaphor, and fantasy.


Infinitely Yours
An exploration of global warming, the Anthropocene, and the vastly changing earth. This piece attempts to physicalize and emotionalize the non-stop barrage of news streaming in through our screens, of environmental transformation that we can’t seem to hit pause or rewind on. Miwa takes on plastics in the oceans, deforestation, food crisis, drought, superstorms and much more in a cacophony of dream-like, kaleidoscopic imagery.

NYU Abu Dhabi currently chairs the Universities Climate Network, which comprises UAE-based universities and higher education institutions to facilitate dialogues, workshops, public events, policy briefs, and youth participation in the lead-up to and beyond COP28. Presented in support of COP28.

Presented as part of the lead-up to COP28

Biography

Miwa Matreyek

Miwa Matreyek is an animator, designer, and performer currently based in Vancouver BC. She has been an internationally touring independent artist since 2010. Coming from a background in animation, Miwa Matreyek creates live, staged performances where she interacts with her animations as a shadow silhouette, at the intersection of cinematic and theatrical, fantastical and tangible, illusionistic and physical. Her work exists in a dreamlike visual space that makes invisible worlds visible, often weaving surreal and poetic narratives of conflict between man and nature. Her work exists both in the realm of the hand-made and digital. She travels as a one-woman show, often incorporating artist talks and workshops.

She performs her interdisciplinary shadow performances all around the world, including animation/film festivals, theater/performance festivals, art museums, science museums, and tech conferences. A few past presenters include TED, MoMA, SFMoMA, White Light Festival at Lincoln Center, Sundance New Frontier, Fusebox Festival, TBA festival, Future of Storytelling conference, ISEA conference, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and many more. She has also performed at many universities, including Texas A&M, Boston University, USC, UC San Diego, CalArts, University of Michigan, Western Carolina University, and more.

She received her MFA in Experimental Animation and Integrated Media from CalArts in 2007.

She is also a co-founder and core collaborator of the multi-media theater company, Cloud Eye Control.

She is a recipient of the Sherwood Award (2016), Creative Capital Award (2013), Princess Grace Award (2007), and Princess Grace Foundation’s Special Projects award (2009, 2012, 2019). Cloud Eye Control is a recipient of several awards and grants including the MAP fund (2013), the National Theater Project grant by NEFA (2013), NPN Creation Fund (2008). Infinitely Yours won the Golden Nica for Computer Animation at Prix Ars Electronica (Austria) in 2020


Event Policies, Terms, and Conditions

• The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all patrons.
• Entry to the NYUAD Campus is through either the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center.
• Patrons will be required to present a valid ticket to an event at The Arts Center upon entry to the campus.
• As per current Department of Culture and Tourism guidelines a Green Al Hosn is NO LONGER needed to attend public events in Abu Dhabi.
• The wearing of face masks is NO LONGER required in most indoor public places, including campus buildings.
• For access and wheelchair bookings please email nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu

How to get there:
By car: The Arts Center is easily accessible by car. You can park in the designated area for parking once you arrive.