Arka Kinari

Subversive, immersive and partially submerged

By day the 70-tonne sailing ship Arka Kinari hosts workshops on environmental sustainability and conversations with local communities. By night the vessel transforms into a stage for a free, exhilarating performance by Grey Filastine (US) and Nova Ruth (Indonesia), a multimedia duo who use their extraordinary music and cinematic visuals to help us imagine life after the carbon economy, promote resilience and re-engagement with the sea. In collisions of psychedelic beats, Javanese post-folk and analogue synths with video, design and dance, they express a radically different vision of the possible. 

The ship comes with a fitting name, too. Arka, Latin for vessel, from the verb arcere, meaning “to hold off or defend”. And Kinari, from Sanskrit – a half-human, half-bird musician, guardian of the tree of life.

Launched in 2019 with a voyage across the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific, Arka Kinari uses humanity’s first global network – the sea – to revive ancient maritime trade-routes. Reversing the colonial spice routes of the past, this ship comes from the east and bears culture and hope as its cargo. See it before it sets sail again.

Visit the Sydney Festival website for all the details.