EstherMugambi@protonmail.com
Esther Mugambi has lived in Kenya, Australia, South Africa and now lives in The Netherlands. Based in Amsterdam, she has performed throughout Europe and New York, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Kampala. Mugambi is a multidisciplinary performance artist who has shown her work in theatres, galleries and music venues.
Education
2006-2009 Masters in Performance, DasArts, Amsterdam
2000-2002 Mime School Amsterdam, AHK Theaterschool, Amsterdam
1996-1998 BA(Theatre),University of Western Sydney and Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg
1992-1994 BSc (Biochemistry), University of Sydney
Performance and Directing Experience
2023 #How to be Fluid as part of Sonic Thresholds curated by Stephanie Pan at Grey Space in the Middle, Den Haag.
Matter (dark, blue, white) as part of Charging Myths Finissage, Framer Framed, Amsterdam
Resetting Birds’ Memories, directed by Kiluanji Kia Henda, Indiscipline Festival, Knokke, produced by WIELS and Jester
Podcast for Introverts, audio letter #2 How to see your hands, Esther Mugambi, featuring Emmanuelle Nsunda. Music by Jeroen Kimman
2022 I have missed you forever, Dutch National Opera, Opera Forward festival, Amsterdam. Podcast for Introverts, audio letter #1 How to sit in the dark, Esther Mugambi, featuring Lydia Bender, music by Jeroen Kiman
2021 Jardin Déracinés, E. Mugambi, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Raoul Carrer, SOKL festival Antwerp, September 2021
Life Eternal, film installation directed by Salvador Miranda, E.Mugambi as Henrietta Lack
Upload, film opera composed and directed by Michel van der Aa, E.Mugambi as the Scientist. World tour begins October 2021
Sore Spot Singing, workshop and radio show. E.Mugambi, Sarah van Lamsweerde and Raoul Carrer, Oscillation Festival, Brussels June 2021
2020 Podcast for Introverts #How to be Fluid E. Mugambi, Kaaistudios, WoWmen Festival, Brussels
Georgic Gardens, with Sarah van Lamsweerde, QO2 Project Space, Brussels.
Models for Environmental Literacy – voice over E.Mugambi, directed by Tivon Rice, Fiber Festival Den Haag
2019 Podcast for Introverts – Episode 3 E. Mugambi, Frascati Theatre, Come Together #4
Georgic Gardens, with Sarah van Lamsweerde, group exhibition Far Away Close By at Nieuw Dakota gallery, Amsterdam Noord.
Sans-Nam, Narrated and featured in film directed by Alejandro Ramirez
Blackness in Europe Symposium, presentation with Black Speaks Back, UCLA
2018 White Horse/Twin Horse – exhibition by Revital Cohen and Tuur van Balen, Performer for Tyler Coburn’s Walkthrough. Brakke Grond, Amsterdam
Podcast for Introverts – Episode 2 E. Mugambi, Goleb Project Space, Amsterdam
2017 Akasha – A Brief Theatre of Everything, Rosa Ensemble, deSingel, Antwerp
Sacred Environment, Kate Moore and Ruben van Leer, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Tell/Sell, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Stedelijk Bureau Amsterdam
Chapman for President, Eef van Breen Group, Casco Theater, Amsterdam
Podcast for Introverts – Episode 1, E. Mugambi, Mezrab, Amsterdam
2016 Akasha, A Brief Theatre of Everything, Rosa Ensemble, Rotterdam OperaDagen
Paper is a Leaf, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Buda Vista Festival, Kortrijk, Veem Theater
2015 Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre (BFT), Young Vic Theatre, London
GeneesKunst Launch, E. Mugambi, Stedelijk Museum, AmsterdamPaper is a Leaf, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Kortrijk, Amsterdam, Eindhoven
Akasha – A Brief Theatre of Everything, (pilot) Rosa Ensemble, Rotterdam
Trash Cuisine, BFT, La Mama Theatre, New York
2014 Tell/Sell, Sarah van Lamsweerde, De Appel Artspace Amsterdam.
Select the Right Location (film) Anna Moreno. Madrid
2013 Rolling Stairs, Marloeke van der Vlugt, TekTok, The Hague
Trash Cuisine, BFT, Edinburgh Fringe, Young Vic, London
2012 Trash Cuisine, BFT, Amsterdam Stadsschouwberg, Rotterdamse Schouwberg
2011 Göttfunken, Rosa Ensemble, Wilbert Busink, Geert Glas. NL tour
Falstaff, Verdi / Rosa Ensemble, Opera Spanga, Friesland, NL
Human Air Alarm, Yuri Veerman. Design Week, Utrecht and Amsterdam
2010 Nannies Only, Erik Ward Geerlings, Het Zuiderlijk Toneel (HZT), NL tour
2009 Hybrid Eyes, E Mugambi. Amsterdam, Zeebelt Theater, the Hague, Kaai Studios, Brussels, Theater Formen, Braunschweig.
2009 Homerun (one minute video) E. Mugambi, camera/edit Alex Fischer
Club Mama Gemütlich (film)Christiaan Bastiaans. Kroller Muller museum
Eurepica, BFT, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and UK.
2008 Kenya No Borders Online (video), E Mugambi. KVS Theatre, Brussels
Eurepica, BFT, on tour in Lund, Sweden
Big Life Hi, Rosa Ensemble, NLtour
RosaSubRosa, Rosa Ensemble. Amsterdam, Utrecht
Roof, Rodrigo Pardo, Amsterdam
2007 Meet the Artist, E.Mugambi and Kaisu Koski, Dasarts, Amsterdam
The Making Of, E Mugambi, Utrecht, London, Linz.
Welcome to Country, E Mugambi. Dasarts Festival
Transistor, Cecilia Vallejos. Amsterdam, Ghent
Continental Drift, Rosa Ensemble, NL tour
Aki Ann, Marloeke van der Vlugt. Dasarts, Amsterdam
2006 In The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing, E Mugambi, Springdance festival Utrecht
the wood for the trees, E Mugambi. Amsterdam, Springdance festival Utrecht
2005 Better Off Mute, E.Mugambi and Adva Zakai. Amsterdam. Antwerp
Waiting Room, Sarah Manya, Something Raw, Springdance festivalA’dam, Utrecht
Onzichtbare Steden, Sarah van Lamsweerde, NL tour
2004 In Defence of Vanity, E.Mugambi and Adva Zakai, Melkweg Theater, Amsterdam
Total Brutal, Nir de Wolf. Melkweg Theater, Amsterdam
2003 Ludic Liminality, Don’t Hit Mama / Inzalo Dance. Amsterdam, Johannesburg
Seeing You, Mati Elias. Veem Theater, Amsterdam
2002 BEEST, Suver Nuver, Oerol Festival, Parade Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam
Dutch Wife/ Dutch Life, Tomoko Take. Stedelijk Museum, Schiedam