WILD TALES FROM THE IMAGINATION
THE ISLANDS WHERE WE LEFT OUR ANCESTORS
Live comic/musical performance
by Joshua Santospirito & Natalya Bing
The Islands Where We Left Our Ancestors is a 50 minute performance with storyteller / graphic novelist Joshua Santospirito and Colombian-Australian violinist Natalya Bing. Using art, live storytelling and live music: the recipe for this performance is created using one part theatre, and one part comic strip.
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Joshua explores the Aeolian Islands in Italy trying to discover why his ancestors left, migrating to Australia. Joshua and his parents search for his great great grandfather's resting place whilst Joshua tries desperately to not to lose his cool with them. He explores stories of humans travelling across time and space, family migration, discusses modern Australian mixed identities, argues with ancient gods and dreams of psychopathic flameball gum trees. A warm and philosophical mix of memories, mythologies and family gossip.
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Created from the new graphic novel The Islands Where We Left Our Ancestors, this story is a continuation of Joshua's exploration of how our stories are embedded in the world around us: an exploration that began with his award-winning first graphic novel The Long Weekend in Alice Springs in 2013.
GRAPHIC NOVEL
“THE ISLANDS WHERE WE LEFT OUR ANCESTORS” GRAPHIC NOVELThe beautifully hand-drawn true story of artist Joshua Santospirito’s visit to the Aeolian Islands of Italy with his parents to seek out past connections and family roots. Joshua and his father hope to locate the burial place of Joshua’s great-great-grandfather on the island of Salina. But it’s not always so easy to find the past you’re looking for, nor to travel with your parents. Told from Joshua’s unique and charming perspective, there is something here for everyone.
