Don’t you know
They’re talking about a revolution?
There! You can see it through the trees. A tower, a wall, a path through the leaves. A place out of time.
Everyone is welcome at the Palace — but you have to leave everything behind: memories, your old life, even your name. For your new name, you can choose a colour: Rose, Turquoise, Fuchsia, Sage. There are rooms for sleeping, workshops, an infirmary and gardens. There’s karaoke sung in a brand new language. A lonely dance we dance once a year.
In this new live performance, Queer performance collective ONCE WE WERE ISLANDS attempt to imagine a Queer Utopia: post capitalist, post trauma, post addiction, post sadness, post joy — an After to the mess that came Before.
Don’t you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run …
Palace of Ash and Rain is the fifth chapter of With Forests in Our Mouths, a durational constellation artwork made up of multiple interconnected chapters shared across 2024 and 2025 and including performances, films, exhibitions and publications.
Direction, text, performance: Chris Gylee & Aslan
Light, video: Elliott Cennetoglu
Sound: Jean P’ark
Video, image, production photography: Óscar González
Light, video: Elliott Cennetoglu
Sound: Jean P’ark
Video, image, production photography: Óscar González
A PLAYLIST OF SONGS TO DANCE TO
(Link to stream the songs here)
Dogai / Waxing Moon — Transmission, Joy Division (3:37)
Gazze / Nut — Gravel, Ani Di Franco (3:32)
Brown / Bonna — Oliver’s Army, Elvis Costello & The Attractions (3:00)
Young Lily / Ganto Nver — Round Round, Sugababes (3:56)
Saloia / Sage — Hit That Perfect Beat, Bronski Beat (3:39)
Cial / Rose — Call Me, Blondie (3:32)
Iagot / Ruby — Ordinary Girl, Alison Moyet (3:07)
Perooza / Turquoise — You Spin Me Right Round, Dead or Alive (3:15)
Carnai / Jet — Mandinka, Shuhada’ Sadaqat (3:47)
Pasia / Marmalade — Your Love is King, Sade (3:39)
Poice / Chestnut — I Touch Myself, The Divinals (3:47)
Habaaz / Mauve — Talkin Bout A Revolution, Tracy Chapman (2:41)
Cvera & Masai / Black & Sand — Kuka On Se Oikea?, Ressu Redford (3:25)
Pesi / Peach — Perfect Day, Lou Reed (3:45)
Ganea / Teal — Song To The Siren, This Mortal Coil (3:31)
Hac Tolta / Dove Grey — Aşk Meşk Yok, Athena (3:51)
Zamrad / Emerald — Kol el Banat, Hossam Hosny (3:48)
Gesivaara / Fuschia — Gold, Spandau Ballet (3:51)
Ar Iot / Midnight Blue — Miss Chatelaine, k.d. Lang (3:49)
Iasiem / Jade — Superheroes del Barrio, Kiko Veneno (3:08)
Lolo / Pearl — Diamonds Are Forever, Shirley Bassey (2:41)
Ar / Blue — Una Vipera Sarò, Giuni Russo (3:32)
Soti / Bird — St. Judy’s Comet, Paul Simon (3:21)
Dion / Seed — No More War, Bronski Beat (4:00)
Horcia / Lettuce — La Vita, Beverly Glenn-Copeland (3:51)
Siel Tangia / Tangerine — Horses, Patti Smith (9:26)