Introducing 1.54 Special, an artist collective that merges the talents of Julia-Beth Harris, a South-African poet, Samuel Ruddick, a British musician, and Jurriaan Wesselink, a Dutch painter, in the experimental 40-minute performance “But First You Must Become Nobody”. The performance evolves, shifting from personal creativity to a harmonious collective practice, culminating in the creation of a Gesamtkunstwerk.  

In a society increasingly polarised and lacking meaningful communal connections, 1.54 Special recognises the value of inventing rituals that foster community.  

Drawing inspiration from the African concept of Ubuntu, which emphasises the interconnectedness of humanity, the collective aims to establish deeper connections through creation, play, and ritual.  

Through their diverse socio-economic backgrounds, the artists demonstrate the potential for synergy and spark curiosity about the shared spaces we can cultivate.  

Join 1.54 Special’s collaborative experiment rooted in creative expression and the core of Ubuntu.