13.12 shares ancient knowledge through experiences that illuminate and inspire.

With an interdisciplinary focus, we bring together artists, cultural elders, communities and academics to present multi-artform experiences and to nurture research that promotes ancient wisdom cultures and global indigenous ways of knowing.

 

In an increasingly uncertain world, ancient wisdom cultures are more important than ever, to activate community renewal, conviviality, new consciousness and to discover transformative ways of seeing, feeling and being.

Established in 2018 by Director / Composer Lamine Sonko, 13.12 expands the concept of embodied and immersive 'ways of knowing' to enable the sharing of new perspectives on how we understand the world around us, and how ancient and traditional arts can be a tool for enabling new consciousness and connection. 13.12 is at the forefront of culturally self-determined work, pioneering an approach that is deeply considered, researched, and consultative, navigating rich and complex cultural terrain.

13.12 illuminates an ancient African ‘cosmovision,’ an understanding that we exist within an interconnected universe, comprising spheres of spirit, nature, and cosmos. This cosmovision is expressed through Xaam Xamm mou Yeuk Yeuk, the experiential and embodied way of knowing that connects the conscious and unconscious mind, as well as the seen and unseen worlds. It also involves Xaam Xaam mou Naat, the observation and measurement of patterns, numbers, and cycles. Together, these elements form Xaam Xaam mou dekkile, an infinite cycle of collective experiences in music, dance, ritual, and rhythm, weaving a fabric that connects us with one another and the cosmos as a place of belonging.

 

LAMINE SONKO | DIRECTOR

 

Director, composer and multi-instrumentalist, Lamine Sonko draws on traditional wisdom to create inter-disciplinary & multi-sensory arts experiences inspired by his cultural background as a guewel (hereditary cultural role) descendant of the Sing Sing clan and Korings of Kaabu, and a member of the Serer, Wolof and Mandinko cultural communities of Senegal. As a guewel his role is to be a keeper and communicator of history, customs, rituals and sacred knowledge through music, dance and oral storytelling. Lamine Sonko’s artistic practice is informed by a lifetime of learning embodied cultural knowledge within his community. Beginning in early childhood, this cultural education is guided by community elders and takes place through observation and participation in sacred rituals and ceremonies including rhythmic, chant and dance traditions Through his work he defines new ways to present and re-imagine the traditional African, contemporary and traditional synthesis in the arts. As a composer he has arranged and recorded award-winning music and has presented and performed throughout Australia and internationally.

 

TEAM & COLLABORATORS

 

Olive Moynihan is a producer, filmmaker and researcher. Her background in Anthropology and Community Development and her creative partnerships have grounded her with a unique understanding of how to nurture powerful transformative creativity that articulates an authentic and self-determined voice through the arts. Her focus on interdisciplinary practice-based arts research, emphasises engaged collaboration and co-design with communities. Olive has travelled extensively throughout West Africa, documenting arts and cultural traditions through film and sound recordings. She is committed to preserving and promoting indigenous epistemologies and interdisciplinary collaboration in cultural research.

OLIVE MOYNIHAN | PRODUCER

Sue’s extensive experience in Arts & Cultural industries spans over 56 years, working in Federal, State and Local Governments, Education, Employment and Training, Community and Corporate Development sectors. Her strategic planning & development key appointments include: Arts Training Consultant at Australia Council Community Arts Board(1979-81); Senior Manager, Victorian Ministry for Arts (1982-92) and Founder/Director of Centre for Cultural Partnerships - Faculty VCA & MCM, University of Melbourne (2004-2015). In addition, Sue established in 1992 her ongoing business Torque Arts P/L in cross-sectoral partnership initiatives for developing Arts & Cultural Strategy Plans, Public Arts Strategy Plans, Arts & Cultural Facility developments and Creative Entrepreneurship Enterprise Initiatives. Sue over many years, has studied Sacred Geometry, Ancient Numerology and the Philosophy of Phenomenology.

SUE CLARK | RESEARCHER

Kine Aw’s themes are inspired by her Senegalese heritage and the world of women in the Sahel: round forms, beauty, tradition versus modernity. Most of her paintings and sketches have a distinct cubist style, characterised by organic geometric forms. Based in Dakar, Senegal, Kine graduated from the National School of Arts in 2006. In 2008, she won the first edition of The Cuomo Foundation painting award for her outstanding work. She has exhibited her work globally including Mbari Institute in Washington in 2010, Winterhur in Switzerland in collaboration with Afropfingsten (KUNSTWERKRAUM) Festival in 2009 and with the Serengheti gallery in Washington in 2010.

Kine Aw’s themes are inspired by her Senegalese heritage and the world of women in the Sahel: round forms, beauty, tradition versus modernity. Most of her paintings and sketches have a distinct cubist style, characterised by organic geometric forms. Based in Dakar, Senegal, Kine graduated from the National School of Arts in 2006. In 2008, she won the first edition of The Cuomo Foundation painting award for her outstanding work. She has exhibited her work globally including Mbari Institute in Washington in 2010, Winterhur in Switzerland in collaboration with Afropfingsten (KUNSTWERKRAUM) Festival in 2009 and with the Serengheti gallery in Washington in 2010.

KINE AW | VISUAL ARTIST

Oumy Sene is one of Senegal’s most respected guewel elders. She is a member of a council of high priestesses that preside over cultural ceremonies and a direct descendant of the Sing Sing lineage responsible for maintaining sabar drumming practices in Senegal. Oumy has a specific role in understanding and preserving the rhythmic knowledge and oral history of the Serer and Wolof traditions and its connection to cosmology and nature.

OUMY SENE | CULTURAL ADVISOR

Sophia Kostava is founding director of social enterprise start-up 'Optimistic Art Projects' (oART). She works with artists to nurture projects that create optimistic outcomes and ignite societies’ curiosity and well-being. Sophia is a strategist at heart, with a passion for partnering with artists to create cultural assets that are sustainable and have longevity. Sophia has an extensive managerial background in both the commercial and not for profit sectors, specialising in strategy, change and project management.

SOPHIA KOSTAVA | ASSOC. PRODUCER

Roger Alsop is a composer, musician and mixed-media artist. His interests are in creative approaches that enhance the hybrid and cross cultural nature of modern creativity. His work has been supported by VicHealth, Regional Arts Victoria, Arts Acces…

Roger Alsop is a composer, musician and mixed-media artist. His interests are in creative approaches that enhance the hybrid and cross cultural nature of modern creativity. His work has been supported by VicHealth, Regional Arts Victoria, Arts Access, Multicultural Arts Victoria, La Mama, Latrobe Regional and Hawthorn Galleries and the Royal Botanic Gardens. He has presented works and lectures in Edinburgh, Greenwich, Benevento, Zagreb, Belgrade, Rome, Prague, and Berlin, International Computer Music, Korean Electro-Acoustic Music Society, Australasian Computer Music Association, ISEA ,CSIRO, Prague Quadrennial, World Stage Design, & Melbourne Festival.

ROGER ALSOP | SOUND DESIGN

Doudou is a guewel and descendant of the Sing Sing clan, cultural elder and one of Senegal’s most respected percussionists. Dedicated to the practice of Sabar from an early age, he established his first sabar group in Medina rue 11x12 and joined the National Theatre Sorano at age 16 working with the  traditional instrumental ensemble and later on joined the ‘Ballet Sira Badral’. Over many decades he has taught and performed throughout Africa, Europe and South America.

DOUDOU THIOUNE | GUEWEL / ARTIST

David Joseph is a multi-skilled physical performer and theatre maker with over 35 years professional experience. He is an award winning actor and musician, co-director of Bowerbird Theatre (with Karen Berger), a committed community artist and social circus trainer and a highly regarded workshop facilitator. In 2016 he devised and performed his award winning solo show Deceptive Threads and completed an MA in Applied Theatre Studies at the University of New England, for which he received the ADSA Philip Parsons Prize for Best Performance as Research project in Australasia. In 2014 he performed in Tales of the Laneways and Behind the Public Eye as part of The 24 Hour Experience and completed a two-month national tour of Controlled Falling Project.

DAVID JOSEPH | ASST. DIRECTOR (theatre)


Anita Quayle is a contemporary cellist and composer with a flair for the unconventional. She began her training at the Victorian College of the Arts and graduated with a BA in Contemporary Music. During her 25 years in the industry. Anita has collaborated with a vast array of artists, including singers/songwriters: Eddie Perfect, Shauntai Batzke, Russell Morris, Ainslie Wills, Nat Bartsch and RnB songstress Thando; dancer Alya Manzart from Chunky Move and playwright Adam Cass.

ANITA QUAYLE | CELLIST

Bouly Sonko was director of Senegal’s national ballet - La Ballet National du Senegal, from 1982 - 2004. For over three decades he led the company of 35 dancers and musicians presenting award-winning work at performance halls and arts festivals around the world. His defining work, the internationally acclaimed ‘Pangols’ - was described as an exploration of ‘the spiritual nature of all living things’ (New York Times). Bouly’s work is a landmark in the history of West African performing arts and has influenced generations to explore the deep cultural meaning within music, dance and theatre traditions. In 13:12 he contributes his extensive knowledge of the arts and in particular the lesser-known and slowly dissapearing ancient arts traditions that exist in remote and regional parts of West Africa

BOULY SONKO | CUTURAL ADVISOR

Karen has worked in Australia, Africa, Asia and Europe as a director, musical director, actor and musician. She has performed in the Edinburgh, Melbourne and Singapore Festivals and assistant directed for MTC. As well as degrees in music, theatre and maths, Karen has a grounding in African culture, having studied percussion in Ghana and Senegal, lectured at the University of Ghana, co-directed a circus show with street kids in Gambia, and worked with various African community groups in Melbourne. Karen is soon to complete her PhD in Performance Studies from Federation University.

KAREN BERGER | ASST. DIRECTOR (theatre)

Joseph Franklin is a composer and bassist whose work draws on posthuman and ecologically informed understandings of historical and contemporary creative practice, and spans improvised, notated music, experimental, theatre and sound art. Franklin has composed for a range of ensembles including the Australian Youth Orchestra, Flinders Quartet, The Music Box Project, Geist Quartet—with an upcoming commission for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. As a performer, he has worked across the United States, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Turkey and Australia.

JOSEPH FRANKLIN | BASSIST