Performative workshop with lecture | Signing Songs

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“Diverse As We Are” (DAWA), the International Festival of Inclusive Culture presents:

Signing Songs

Performative workshop with lecture

© The Hidden Project

Language: International sign language with interpretation into Chinese and Chinese sign language

Date: Friday, September 23, 2022, 17:00–18:00 (lecture), 18:00–19:00 (workshop)

Guest: Signmark

online via Zoom:

Zoom webinar link: https://goethe-institut.zoom.us/j/81804619185?pwd=Ulc3VGZkWmwxOXRaNHgrUVhod2MyUT09, Webinar ID: 81804619185, Password: Goethe123!

or live stream via Wechat:

(only the lecture part, 17:05–18:00)

DAWA Access Hotline: [phone] (Operating hours: 8:00–22:00 from September 7 to October 9, 2022)

Email: [e-mail] (Please include “DAWA Access Inquiries” in the email subject line. We will reply within 24 hours.)

Signmark (a.k.a. Marko Vuoriheimo) was born deaf into a world where music is for the hearing. He pursued his childhood dream and became the first deaf in the world to get a record deal. Signmark fell for hip-hop and rap music, both because of the beat and the possibility to talk about important issues through the music. Rap, as a form of art, goes beyond music, lyrics, culture and languages, helping the signing community to find their own voice. With his music and positive approach, Signmark wants to change the attitudes towards the deaf and put emphasis on appreciating diversity in today’s exceedingly multicultural world. In the lecture/workshop, we indulge ourselves into songwriting together with Signmark, and discover that hip-hop culture indeed has the tradition of stretching boundaries of art, culture, politics and society, emphasizing that music indeed, is for everyone. 

About the Guest

Signmark was born deaf into a world where music was only for the hearing. His music career began already as a child when he started to translate familiar Christmas carols into sign language, so that the whole family could sing together. His dreams of music business were too much for many who laughed that his dream was the most impossible one a deaf person can have. Michael Jackson’s music videos ignited a dream that one day he’d also be on the other side of the screen. Eventually small sparks turned into a proper fire. Signmark kept hold of his dream and made impossible possible.

2006 Signmark, the first sign language hiphop album and DVD in the world was released. Record labels were not interested in the project at that point so the album was made as an independent, self-funded release. In the same fashion, also the release party was organised with a zero budget. A long list of press was invited to the party but no one came. Many would have given up by this point but not Signmark. He decided that his dream is something to believe in and will one day take off.

Signmark’s first show outside Finland was in Paris in 2006. After that show, the whole thing found a totally new level. He has also taken part in reality television programmes in Finland, given hundreds of interviews and been on dozens of TV-stations around the world.

He has also been involved in many philanthropy pursuits, for example campaigns with Plan, Unicef and World Vision as the latest. In Finland Signmark tours not only as a musician but also as a very liked and sought-after lecturer and he is one of Speakersforum’s top speakers. Besides music, promoting human rights, accessibility and equality is important to Signmark and very close to his heart - after all, as a sign language user he is a part of a language minority.

 © Lari Jarnefelt

Signmark’s music:

Signmark, Album, 2006

Breaking The Rules, Album, 2010

Silent Shout, Album, 2014

Viva La Parola, EP, 2021

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Thursday, September 22, 2022, 19:00-20:00

Thursday, September 22, 2022, 20:00-21:00

Friday, September 23, 2022, 18:30-21:00

Saturday, September 24, 2022, 19:00-21:30

Sunday, September 25, 2022, 14:00-15:10

Sunday, September 25, 2022, 15:30-17:00

Montag, September 26, 2022, 19:00-21:00

For more information about DAWA please click "Read More".