Sophie Seita

THE HILDEGARD VON BINGEN SOCIETY FOR GARDENING COMPANIONS

Collaboration with Naomi Woo, and other international artists, writers, and musicians (2020–ongoing)

The Hildegard von Bingen Society for Gardening Companions transplants, reroots, and propagates a queer, feminist gardening society founded by 12th century mystic and musician Hildegard von Bingen. The project is committed to intersectional, anti-racist research into botany and environmental issues.

Members of the society recently collaborated on A Garden Variety, a collection of scores for care; and in August 2021, the society presented a queer documentary-style talk-show opera at the Cockpit as part of Tete a Tete Opera Festival. Since the beginning, we have been building our archives, through The Garden Shed.

Read more on our website, sign up to our newsletter or follow the society’s activities on Instagram.

Community practice:
Monthly gatherings/garden parties, more info here.

Events:
Tete a Tete, Sep 2020 (online, interactive)
Performance Philosophy Symposium, University of the Arts, Helsinki, Jun 2022
Nottingham Contemporary, Listening Session, with Seda Ergul, Sophie Seita, Mantawoman, Mar 2023
Sound walk and workshop by Seda Ergul and Sophie Seita, and a performance by Niya B, at Grand Union, Oct 2023
Pen Theatre, in collaboration with lee rae walsh, Apr 2023

Exhibition:
Mimosa House, 27 Oct-8 Dec 2o23. More info on the See bingenTV.

Performance (bingenTV, 2021):
Tete a Tete 2021, 8 Aug 2021 at the Cockpit Theatre (video below)
Contributions to the researcher video as part of the 2021 Tete a Tete performance: Adam Moore, Emma Attwood, Jenny Chamarette, Kat Addis, Istanbul Queer Art Collective, Dr Susie Self, Taey Iohe, Mantawoman, Sophie Seita
Music: The Mermaid Café (Ruari Paterson-Achenbach & Joanna Ward)
Concept & creation: Naomi Woo, Sophie Seita
Photos:
In studio (bingenTV performance promo shot): Christa Holka
In performance at Tete a Tete 2021: Claire Shovelton

Intervention/street performance:
’Denizens of the Quoted Garden’, a collaborative project with Istanbul Queer Art Collective (2021), for the society’s newsletter/artist publication

Publication:
The Minutes of the Hildegard von Bingen Society for Gardening Companions, artist publication, designed by Yael Ort-Dinoor. Vol. 1 (Spring 2022) & Vol. 2 (Spring 2023).
Dimensions: 170mm x 250; Medium: 55gsm improved newsprint, stapled and trimmed, 56pages

The Minutes gathers recent work by writers, poets, artists, performers, and activists, the members of the Hildegard von Bingen Society. The publication is designed as a community garden. It serves as a collective reflection on movement, outdoor spaces, and the cycle of growth, decay, and dormancy.

Urgency Reader 2: Mutual Aid publ. by Queer.Archive.Work / Paul Soulellis (Providence, RI, April 2020). It also appeared in a special limited edition 25 from Urgency Reader for the Brooklyn Art Book Fair 2020, with copies sold to the libraries at The Whitney and The Met Museum. The special edition raised funds for The Marsha P. Johnson Institute and Queer.Archive.Work's artist residency program. Write-up in Hyperallergic.

Funding:
2023-2-2024 Arts Council England, Project Grant
2022-2023 Canada Council for the Arts, Explore and Create: Concept to Realization
2021-22 Canada Council for the Arts, Explore and Create: Research and Creation
2021 ’New Conversations’ grant, from the British Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Farnham Maltings, and The High Commission of Canada in the UK