Sounds of Run the Night (commission)

Belinda Zhawi has been commissioned by Poet in the City to write a piece inspired by her connection to the area and the provocation “Run the Night”. The piece will encapsulate the energy of this corner of the city and how that may have changed over the years, how her relationship with the place may have changed too, and how the nighttime illuminates or hides elements of the distinct nature of this unique place.

Belinda often fuses her poetry with music, soundscapes and archival audio under the name MA.MOYO, and this collaboration with audio artist and people's archivist Weyland McKenzie-Witter will see Belinda's words lift off the page into the audio realm.

Belinda's poem will be displayed by the entrance to Woolwich Centre Library throughout the six weeks' summer holiday. A QR code will be displayed next to the text at the Library which will link to an audio version of the poem hosted on Poet in the City's website throughout the summer. This audio piece will encapsulate Belinda's words enmeshed with the sounds of the city, the night; writing into existence narratives of London often left silenced or unheard.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Belinda Zhawi - A Zimbabwean born writer, sound artist and educator currently based in London. Her work explores Afro-diasporic research and narratives, and how art and education can be used as intersectional tools. Belinda also has a presence as MA.MOYO, experimenting with sound within South-East London's jazz and beat-making scene.

Zhawi is the co-founder of literary arts platform BORN::FREE and author of Small Inheritances (ignitionpress, 2018) and South of South East (Bad Betty Press, 2019). Her work has been featured on various platforms including The White Review, NTS, Boiler Room and BBC Radio 3, 4 and 6.

Weyland McKenzie-Witter - An award nominated multidisciplinary Audio Artist, Creative Producer, Writer and People’s Archivist from Stoke Newington, London. His work focuses on using creative productions as a medium to tell people’s stories and histories. 

McKenzie has worked as a producer on podcasts for the BBC, Spotify, The Guardian and Transmission Roundhouse and produced content on radio stations like NTS and No Signal. He has also worked as an Assistant producer on the BBC Sounds Commissioning Team and created music for international Ad campaigns for Just Eat, Absolut Vodka and more. In 2021 he was nominated for Best New Producer at the Audio Production awards. As a musician, McKenzie’s music has been played on BBC RADIO 1, BBC 1 XTRA, CAPITAL XTRA Rinse FM and more. He’s sold out shows at The Roundhouse and Hackney’s Paper Dress Vintage. As “Wey & Nephew” he’s DJ’d for Audible, New Era, Bumble, Roundhouse, Soho House and more.

Listen to Belinda Zhawi's Land Still Holds here: