Signs of the World

Jenny Sealey in association with Graeae Theatre Company

A Lift commission

Deaf artist and Graeae Artistic Director Jenny Sealey has created a series of still images and a short film that demonstrates the international diversity of sign language. In collaboration with director and photographer David Hevey, film-maker Mark Haig and members of the deaf community in London Signs of the World explores what can get lost in translation – for example ‘thumbs up‘ in BSL means good, but in Japanese sign language means man.

The Signs of the World workshop creates a space where deaf and hearing people from different cultures across the world can communicate through gesture. Using different sign languages and gestures of human emotional response the workshop will explore creating a shared language of sign.

The Signs of the World film will be screened every day as part of Kitchen Banter and at other times throughout the Festival.