ILLICIT GIN INSTITUTE ASSEMBLIES

An Illicit Gin Institute Assembly is a living, evolving performance piece created by Zina Saro-Wiwa as a way to share and express her findings on African illicit gins, botanicals, spirituality and science. The Assemblies include a performance lecture, video art, silent tastings, sound baths, storytellings, academic talks, food, cocktails, dance and fellowship.

Zina says: "For me these Assemblies are moments where I am able to share the hidden story of palm wine spirit production and explore African environmentalisms with the world. It is a way to introduce West Africa’s cultural and spiritual approach to alcoholic spirits and to allow the Sarogua spirit and the selected botanicals to do its own job of speaking within each attendee. The entire event is a performance but one in which audience members are participants. It means different things to different people and you kind of have to be there to connect all the stimulations. There’s soundbath and soundscape elements, performance lecture, tastings, readings, dancing, formal meeting and greeting of other attendees. It’s like the conjuring of an alternative reflected Ogoniland. And, most importantly, the opportunity to establish fellowship and connection with others is deliberately built in to the work. My Assemblies aim to rewire the social contract and are an opportunity to explore the very idea of 'spirit’. It is social medicine.”

To date there have been 6 official Assemblies. The first three Illicit Gin Institute Assemblies took place in September, October and November 2021 at the magical Schindler House in West Hollywood and were produced by the contemporary art and food incubator Active Cultures. The next two were in London. One at Queensrollahouse in West London, UK on 29th April 2022 and also at Tramp in Mayfair commissioned by Emdash Foundation and curated by Wedelart in October 2022. The most recent Assembly took place on Wolfe Island in Ontario on the 31st March 2023. Commissioned by the Agnes Museum, this Assembly was the most ambitious so far as Zina spent a month in the region researching and exploring. It created the most integrated and site-specific Assembly to date. Where local botanicals and stories infused those of the Niger Delta producing a magical and unique happening that braided together the stories of settlers, First Nation peoples and the African presence in Ontario and Wolfe Island. You can read some testimonials from recent Assemblies below. Also if you are an institution interested in hosting an Assembly or want to know when and where the next one will be, please contact us using the form below or follow us on instagram.