Misplaced Women? Sign held by Amy Bryzgel at the domestic arrivals halls, Aberdeen International Airport, UK
Amy Bryzgel at Aberdeen Airport. Photo: Tanja Ostojic
Photo: Tanja Ostojic
On March 31, 2015, Tanja Ostojic arrived in Aberdeen to give a workshop to students on “Misplaced Women?” and also participate in a Director’s Cut interview at the University of Aberdeen. She invited me to do this delegated performance when I picked her up at the airport, so of course I agreed. As the author of numerous publications on performance art, I am all for performative airport pick-ups!
Misplaced Women sign
Photo: Amy Bryzgel
Misplaced Women sign by Amy Bryzgel
Photo: Amy Bryzgel
Am I a Misplaced Woman? I often ask myself where my place in the world is. I was born and raised in America, but lived for several years in Poland and Latvia, where I also learned both of those languages and attempted to integrate into local society in each place. Now, I live in Scotland, which has its own identity in the UK. The city I live in is Aberdeen, which is known for being an oil capital of Europe, as well as its its ancient university; so, by definition, it is a migrant city. I think it is difficult to fit in anywhere, even in your home country, because there is always something that makes you different from those that surround you. But I also have spent much of my adult life dealing with work and study visas, and amassing mountains of paperwork to get the necessary permissions to stay in the countries where I am not a natural born citizen. So I understand migration from its many different aspects.
Misplaced Women? 
[…] day before the workshop, when Tanja arrived in Aberdeen, she invited me to participate in the project by carrying a sign to greet her at the airport – not with her name on it, as is customary, but with the text “Misplaced Women.” I of course […]
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[…] ”Misplace Women?” sign held by Amy Bryzgel, on Aberdeen International Airport, Scotland, March 31, 2015. Photo: Tanja […]
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