Aike Abeke Roodenburg (1992) is a music teacher (Conservatory of Utrecht) and Master of Arts in Theatre Studies (University of Ghent). Next to that, she works as a conductor, a voice coach, singer, creative facilitator, production manager and coordinator. As
a trust person she is active for Engagement Arts (Ghent), an artist-led movement that is fighting against sexual cross border behaviour and powerabuse in the arts.

“I am a facilitator with an artist’s mindset: I work in a creative way and with a lot of passion in order to give artists the opportunity to develop themselves and their work in optimal conditions. For me, the arts in general are a space for encounters
- a space of appearance - where we can exchange ideas, visions and images of the future. Therefore organising, connecting, meeting and exchanging form the foundation
of my functioning. At this moment, there is a continuous search for creating boundaries in my personal and professional life/lives: limits of time and investment, but also of mental space and energy. Combining day- and night jobs in one week creates these time management challenges: when are you (not) working and when can you take time ‘off’?”

Singer/Performer, co-creator Cleansing Ritual, Opening Weekend.
Curatorial & organizational facilitator and runner.

Organizer of the Engagement meeting during the Expo. This is a peer-to-peer conversation starting from solidarity. Together we try, everytime again, to build a space to share and listen, in solidarity. We build that space together. It is not a problem if you have not been to a meeting before. People come and go, the space is open every time again for new people. To join the meeting, please sign up by sending an email to contact@engagementarts.be. To assure a space of trust, we ask you to arrive on time. Thank you for your understanding. We want to be careful and to make everyone feel safe. Therefore we will limit the number of people and we kindly ask you not to join if you have any covid-symptoms. Fore more information, please check out: https://engagementarts.be/en/tools

Tuesday February 22nd
19:30-21:30
Reservation > contact@engagementarts.be

Curatorial & organizational facilitator and runner.

O chorusans lux stellarum - Hildegard Von Bingen

The song is categorised as one of the Canticles of Ecstacy. A canticle (from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum: "song") is a hymn, psalm or other Christian song of praise with lyrics usually taken from biblical or holy texts.

Hildegard von Bingen has an astonishing historical footprint worth noting. Born of noble parents in Germany in 1098, she entered the Benedictine religious life at age 15. She became a Benedictine abbess, a mystic, a visionary, a philosopher, a poet, a composer, and has been credited with founding the field of Natural Science in Germany. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially canonized her as a saint and additionally recognized her as a Doctor of the Catholic Church, a title conferred upon saints whose writings are considered to have special authority within the church.

A CHORUSANS LUX STELLARUM
"O choruscans lux stellarum,
o splendidissima specialis forma
regalium nuptiarum,
o fulgens gemma:
tu es ornata in alta persona
que non habet maculatam rugam.
Tu es etiam socia angelorum
et civis sanctorum.
Fuge, fuge speluncam
antiqui perditoris,
et veniens veni in palatium regis."  

ANTIPHON FOR THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH:
"O glittering starlight,
O most splendid and special form
of regal marriage,
O shining gem:
you are adorned like a noble lady
who has no blemish.
And you are a companion of angels
and a citizen among the saints.
Flee, O flee the cave
of the old betrayer
and come, O come into the king’s palace"

The mystical text from her motet ‘O Choruscans Lux Stellarum’ contains some stunning imagery. The shimmering starlight may represent the Church—commonly known as the Bride of Christ or the Body of Christ. However, it may directly symbolize Christ—the One without blemish who overcomes the grave (or the cave of the ancient destroyer). Perhaps, more intimately, it may be a reference to Saint Hildegard herself amid one of her vivid mystical visions. Savour the layers of this text as you explore the many intentional connections between the musical ideas and Saint Hildegard’s luminous poetry.

In ‘Hard Work Gentle Labour’ the song was sung by Aike Abeke Roodenburg, who pre-recorded the piece at the Oud Huis of Kunsthal, a week before the opening. On Friday the 4th of February we opened our exhibition with a clean(s)ing performance and ritual at the Oud Huis. We cleaned the space and ourselves from dust, dirt and the remnants form earlier shows and guests. Accompanied by this song and sounds of purification, we drew attention to the all-important first step of an exhibition: the cleaning.