To pass the Berger Baton, Jan Woolf and Tina Grace launch a series of bi-annual The Shape Of A Pocket events to share John Berger’s world and his different commitments. This name is inspired by John Berger’s book of essays The Shape of a Pocket, published in 2001, including the text “Against the Great Defeat of the World” mentioning a piece of the puzzle which « has the shape of a pocket, and consists of all the various pockets of resistance against the new order which are developing across the globe. The Zapatistas in south-east Mexico are one such pocket. » (The Shape of a Pocket, first published by Bloomsbury in 2001, then in 2003 by Vintage, p.213).

This first event gathers respected political and creative voices along with a new generation of young creators to take up the Berger Baton :
• The actress Ruby Serkis (Letter to a King, The Hobbit) and the drummer Leo Taylor (Fourtet, Hot Chip, The invisible) perform an excerpt from Tina Grace’s multi-media work in progress researching John Berger’s Ways of Seeing ; chapter 3, the male gaze – the female observed.
• Award winning Sufi poet Rakaya Fetuga reads a new poem for Palestine in collaboration with Afghan rubab player Milad Yousofi.
• Readings of John Berger text’s from one of The Shape Of A Pocket’s patrons.
• Screening of British library commissioned multi-media work ‘Surrender – ways of hearing John Berger,’ curated and produced by Tina Grace and BBC radio producer Geoff Bird.

With the assistant producer Sophia Berger, they are interested in inviting partnerships with cultural organisations for future events to Pass on Berger Baton to a new diverse generation of Disruptors and Dreamers, we can put you in contact if you’re interested.

Their first event takes place Sunday 14th of April 2024 at 5 pm, Gatehouse Theatre Highgate, London.

More info on the whole project : https://www.theshapeofapocket.com
More info on the event and to book : https://upstairsatthegatehouse.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173653402