BIFF X0 Program 1: Echoes + Exchanges
North Park Theatre
Between performance and sincerity, the personal and the political, presence and absence– interviews, correspondences, and other exchanges.
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BIFF Offscreen: SRS (Silk Road Songbook)
Duende
Friday October 10 @ Silo City / Duende
SRS (Silk Road Songbook), HDV, 2025, 8 minute loop
SRS (Silk Road Songbook) is an audio-video project created by artists Millie Chen and Arzu Ozkal. SRS weaves songs of resistance into the land, broadcasting women’s distinct, unruly voices on an ancient Eurasian migration route between Istanbul, Tehran, Tashkent, Bishkek, and Xi’an. Complex stories emerged from each place and the people they worked with, unsettling Orientalist exoticism, cultural tourism, and censorship, and disrupting the grand, tidy narrative of the popular perception of “Silk Road.”
The songs were created by collaborators in communities along the route; they chose the landscapes, musical genres, and lyrical content. For each place, their voices are the dynamic driving force; the land is the visual anchor.
The SRS (Silk Road Songbook) installation is on exhibition at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center until Oct 30, 2025 (341 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, Tues to Fri 11-6, Sat 11-2).
The SRS (Silk Road Songbook) single-channel video excerpt, showing at Silo City as part of BIFF Offscreen 2025, presents two of the five song recordings, at Chubar (Iran) and Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan).
A brief artist's talk w/ Millie Chen will begin promptly at 9:30PM.
About the Artists––
Biographies of SRS Artists/Producers/Directors:
Millie Chen creates visual, audio, and performative works that challenge habitual viewing and emphasize sensory knowledge. Her socially driven art has been exhibited globally, including at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Centre Culturel Canadien Paris, The Power Plant, and Shanghai Expo. She is Professor of Art at the University at Buffalo.
Arzu Ozkal is a Turkish-born artist and designer exploring design activism and social participation, particularly concerning women’s roles in contemporary culture. She has exhibited globally and co-edited Cabaret Voltaire: Fluxus West, San Diego, and Southern California Mail Art. Ozkal is Professor of Graphic Design at San Diego State University.
Biographies of SRS Collaborators:
SRS Chubar (Iran):
Baran Ehsaei, performing as Faunoos, is a performance artist and composer based in Los Angeles. Trained in classical piano and vocals, she holds a BA in playwriting and composes for theatre and film. Currently studying performance and composition at CalArts and working as a piano technician, her debut album features lullabies inspired by Persian and global folk traditions.
Arash Zarabi is a Tehran-based composer and double bass player. With classical roots in orchestras like the Tehran Symphony, he now explores jazz, folk, soul and alternative genres. His work includes projects such as “The 32nd Street” and “Roonevisi.” He has performed widely and collaborated with notable Iranian and international musicians including Baran Ehsaei.
Amirhossein Taqavi is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker. He studied architecture and dramatic literature in Tehran and has created alternative films, often on contemporary dance. Recently, Taqavi explores painting, sculpture, and NFT art, exhibiting in prominent Tehran galleries and expanding his practice into new contemporary art forms.
Reza Baraheni (1935–2022) was a prolific Iranian novelist, poet, critic, and human rights activist from Tabriz. Arrested and exiled for his activism, he authored over 60 books in Persian and English and taught at major universities in Iran, the U.S., and Canada. Baraheni led PEN Canada and advocated for freedom of speech internationally.
SRS Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan):
Gulzada Ryskulova, a vocalist and composer from the Osh region, is of nomadic Kyrgyz descent. Rooted in traditional Kyrgyz music, she blends heritage with experimentation across genres while challenging patriarchy. She has authored over 100 works and performed in 300+ international concerts. Gulzada represented Kyrgyz culture at the UN World Congress of Women and serves as Volunteer Ambassador of the World Nomad Games.
Diana Rakhmanova is an artist, curator, and cultural leader from Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan. Founder of the Cultural Center “Kuduk” in Bishkek, she manages eco-art and cultural programs, creating autobiographical installations and cultural exchanges. Exhibited internationally, she participated in documenta fifteen and residencies in Colombia, Mexico, and Indonesia. Diana is a 2025 ArtsLink Fellow in the USA.
Born in Bishkek, Ilya Karimdjanov is an artist and psychologist who exhibits his work and supports art initiatives. He combines therapy and art, emphasizing well-being without strict rules, focusing on individual happiness.
Born in Tekeli, Pavel Potashov began with youth TV production and evolved into independent screen arts. Experienced in commercial production, he works as a creative concept developer, screenwriter, and director.
Post-production:
Jean Martin, Toronto-based musician and producer, collaborates widely across Canada and internationally. Known for his work with Tanya Tagaq and others, he’s recorded with luminaries like David Murray. Artistic Director of Barnyard Records, Martin produced or engineered 100+ projects across genres. In 2024, he won the Freddy Stone Award for excellence in contemporary Canadian music.
Chris Ferrari is a video editor who has collaborated for over a decade with artist Millie Chen, including on (SRS) Silk Road Songbook. Passionate about landscapes and sociopolitical awareness, he merges technical skill with storytelling to create immersive, thought-provoking art projects that connect environment, culture, and history.
Credits for SRS (Silk Road Songbook):
SRS Chubar (Iran): Production Date 2022; Song duration 02:55; Full duration 22:00; Song title “What is this song?”; Lyrics by Reza Baraheni from the poem “What is this song?”; Baran Ehsaei (aka Faunoos), Vocals, Composition; Arash Zarabi, Double Bass, Recording Engineering; Amirhossein Taqavi, Cinematography
SRS Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan): Production Date 2023; Song duration 03:04; Full duration 22:00; Song title “Tolgonuu” (“Contemplation”); Gulzada Ryskulova, Vocals, Composition, Lyrics; Diana Rakhmanova, Location Coordination; Kylymdar Asykbekov, Komuz; Chyngyz, Choor; Meikin, Guitar; Ilya Karimdjanov, Pavel Potashov, Cinematography; Vadim Bykov, Recording Engineering
Post-Production: Jean Martin, Sound Producer; Chris Ferrari, Video Editor
Funding organizations:
Ontario Arts Council
Canada Council for the Arts
American Turkish Society
Humanities Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Buffalo
Department of Art, University at Buffalo
United University Professions, Buffalo Center Chapter
San Diego State University
School of Art & Design, San Diego State University
Substantial Motion Research Network
Still from SRS Issyk-Kul, SRS (Silk Road Songbook) courtesy of the artists.
