Bumping into... Bea Labikova

Bumping Into... is a series of mini-chats with a variety of peeps that you might run into in some of our local music communities. (There's a bit of an intro and my thoughts behind the series here.)

---

How are you? Where are you?

Hi Joe, nice to see you! I am doing quite well and I'm still in Toronto... although living somewhere near nature and around mountains never felt more tempting!

What have you been up to since March or so?

I have been trying to stay well, healthy, busy and also to be a positive and supportive force for people in my life. First few months have been pretty intense and full of reflection. I feel I went through phases of trying to to do only things that bring me joy without any attachment of professional or goal oriented focus.... and then being super ambitious trying to get everything I have ever dreamed about done.

Well, more recently, I have been working on my album with Germaine Liu and William Parker that we recorded during the weekend of Women From Space Festival 2020.

I spent a lot of days creating visual work, illustration and animation. I have been volunteering and helping an organization called "Canadian Centre for Women's Empowerment" to create design and illustrations for their campaign focusing on economic and financial abuse of women.

I made a puppet! And together with my partner Raphael Roter we made a puppet music video with hope to bring smiles and joy to people as we head into the new year...it was fun!

And right now I am in a middle of really busy times of putting together the Women From Space Festival 2021! It is happening and it will be spacey!

Have you found any new ways to do old things? How are you feeling about the shifts in how music is being made/shared/listened to?

I am definitely very impressed how everyone transitioned and immediately figured out how to shift into online platform to continue sharing and performing. I tried not to compare it to the feeling of live performance (though I very much miss it like most of us) and treat it as different medium and look for the advantages that this medium can offer.

In terms of new ways...maybe I can say a little bit, even though it is still a secret right now...Raph and I have been developing a special new device that will allow people to watch performances through a hologram illusion! The Women From Space Festival 2021 will be presented in this new spacey way. We call this invention the Holobox Theater!

Any works of art that have been a light for you in these times? Anything that's just been a good diversion?

Besides lots of music, I have been reading many fun books (i.e. A Burning by Megha Majumdar) and I have been more and more fascinated by the art of animation (Wolfwalkers is so great!)

How are you feeling about 2021?

I am feeling positive. I am also blown away by the science community and their incredible work and achievement with the vaccine.

Anything else we'd chat about if we bumped into each other?

Oh I would definitely steer the conversation towards learning about what you have been up to and how are you doing! Thank you for doing these series Joe, it is so nice to read and connect with people from our community!