Score #3: Becoming One With a Bag

Misplaced, Score #3: Becoming One With a Bag, 2021, Millennium Bridge, London, performed by: Dagmara Bilon & Dyana Gravina. Mis(s)placed Women? Performance Weekend and the Community Gathering in Belgrade, October 17 2021, via Zoom. Photo: Mia Bilon.

DAGMARA BILON

Score #3: Becoming One With a Bag, 2021

Around 30 minutes, with or without preparation, two performers

Location: busy city bridge

About:

This score is sort of a combination of the Mis(s)placed Women? Score#1 and Score#2 by Tanja Ostojić. Becoming One With a Bag is a metaphor of displacement, objectification and detachment from humanity, in which the viewer on their way to work crosses the busy city bridge and unexpectedly spots legs coming out of a bag, without a face, without an identity. Next to the bag on legs, there is a second person (co-performer) holding a MISPLACED sign (Score #2). (The bridge here is a symbol of a transient place, in-between two different locations, when one migrates from one place to the other, on the bridge is ‘in between’.)

Instruction:

1. Select a busy city bridge.

2. The main action takes place on the pedestrian area toward the middle of the bridge.

3. The performer wears a dress and high heels, walking over the bridge toward the middle, carrying the ‘refuge bag’ on her shoulder. She stops and steps inside the bag until her upper body disappears inside the bag. The second performer zips the bag and positions herself aproximately one meter away.

4. Both of them stand still as a kind of juxtaposed, obscure attraction and provocation at the same time for about half an hour.

Important: The co-performer needs also to look after the person in the bag who can not see its surroundings.

Misplaced, Score #3: Becoming One With a Bag, 2021, Millennium Bridge, London, performed by: Dagmara Bilon & Dyana Gravina. Mis(s)placed Women? Performance Weekend and the Community Gathering in Belgrade, October 17 2021, via Zoom. Live streaming: Robin Harvey.

Note:

It is interesting to find out to whom this action speaks to and how are the people passing by responding. Reflect upon your motivation to perform this score and from which perspective you speak. (For example, as a non-UK citizen, based in London, I travelled recently back home to unite with my family after having been away for two weeks. Two days ahead of my flight, I received an email from the Home Office stating that if I am not able to present my Settled Status at the border, I won’t be able to enter the country. After 20 years of living in the UK, I would have never thought that I had to fear being stopped at the borders… This experience made me think about the people who struggle daily with this issue.)

Crediting and Publishing:

Mis(s)placed Women? project by Tanja Ostojić, live action by Dagmara Bilon, performed by: your names…

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Dagmara Bilon (1981) is a London based performance and interdisciplinary artist, creative producer and activist of Polish/German origin who conducted various community-led art projects engaging young people in the discourse of gender, sexuality and identity. She is active member of the The Purple Ladies collective since its establishment, and the Mis(s)placed Women? community since 2016.

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Edited and first published by Tanja Ostojić in the Mis(s)placed Women? exhibition catalogue, KCB Belgrade 2021

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Please visit the related posts:

Tanja OSTOJIĆ: Score #1: Unpacking a Bag of Your Own, 2009

Tanja OSTOJIĆ: Score #2: Holding the Misplaced Women? Sign, 2012

HOANG TRAN HIEU HANH: Score #4: spread and reflect, 2021

Earlier contributions by Dagmara BILON:

Dagmara Bilon realised 3 performances on gentrification, home and identity in the frame of “Misplaced Women?” workshop hosted by LADA London, December 2016

Teresa Albor’s and Dagmara Bilon’s continuous collaboration

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Earlier blog posts for London:

The following artists, activists and researchers developed their new works or performed some of the “Misplaced Women?” scores in the frame of the Tanja Ostojic’s “Misplaced Women?” London Workshop. I would like to invite you to please check out Participants Contributions in text, photos and videos, that I edited partly in collaboration with Danyel Ferrari and published on the project blog:

Tanja Ostojic

Elena Marchevska

Teresa Albor

Camilla Canocchi 

SM

Cherry Truluck

Seila Fernandez Arconada

Alice Tuppen

Hilary Williams 

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Score #4: Spread and Reflect

HOANG TRAN HIEU HANH

Score #4: spread and reflect, 2021

More or less an hour, several performers

About:

Mirror, Mirror – Spread Your Reflection! is a collaborative intervention with large mirrors, first performed in Berlin’s underground in January 2018 in the frame of Tanja Ostojić’s Misplaced Women? performance art workshop, confronting manspreading, a habit of men sitting in public transport with legs wide apart, thereby covering more than their own seat. 

Instruction:

1. Choose a mirror to bring along with you, (the larger the better).

2. Select a means of transport of your choice, for exsample: metro, tram, train.

3. Take your seat in front of a cis man (short for cisgender man: a person who was assigned male at birth and whose gender identity is male).

4. Hold your mirror between your legs with the mirror reflection towards the person sitting opposite to you.

5. You can do the same action on a different means of transport and see how different it is being perceived at different times.

Note:

Reflect upon how it feels to hold the mirror, to take up space, to be made invisible by the mirror, and to become visible with the mirror.

Mirror, Mirror – Spread Your Reflection! by Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh, developed in the frame of: Tanja Ostojić´s Misplaced Women? workshop, Berlin (Jan. 2018) With: Gaby Bila-Günther, Nati Canto, Alice Minervini, Evdoxia Stafylaraki, Jiachen Xu. Photo: Jiachen Xu

Crediting and Publishing:

It is very important to credit everyone properly. With the Misplaced Women? project we pay special attention to that. Please be sure to fully credit your action as: (Your name:) a performance in response to the delegated performance by Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh, Score 4: spread and reflect, MIS(S)PLACED WOMEN?, project by Tanja Ostojić, performed by: (add names of everyone performing with you and the photographer(s) name(s))— wherever you share it or print it, and we will do the same with your contribution. Send a photo or a drawing of yourself performing, the description about how it went (your name, date, time, duration, location(s) and notes about what happened). Please let us know if you would like your contribution to be published on the blog of the project. We would greatly appreciate that!

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Mirror, Mirror – Spread Your Reflection! by Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh, developed in the frame of: Tanja Ostojić´s Misplaced Women? workshop, Berlin (Jan. 2018) With: Gaby Bila-Günther, Nati Canto, Alice Minervini, Evdoxia Stafylaraki, Jiachen Xu and Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh. Photo: Alice Minervini

Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh is a Berlin based activist, who is a member of the Mis(s)placed Women? community since January 2018. As a response to the racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-created a group for the Asian Diaspora in Europe and has hosted artist and community talks on notions of home, mobility and the politics of care. Her activism is centred around intersectional feminism, the right to reproductive self-determination, climate justice and the sense of solidarity in communities of colour. In her spare time, she ponders over creative approaches to link the arts with political activism to shift boundaries, change relationships and create new paradigms. Currently, Hanh is working on migration and displacement in the context of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters.

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Manspreading, Istanbul Underground, Photo: Tanja Ostojić, July 2021.

Edited and first published by Tanja Ostojić on the Misplaced Women? project blog (2021)

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Please visit the related posts:

TANJA OSTOJIĆ: Score #1: Unpacking a Bag of Your Own, 2009

TANJA OSTOJIĆ: Score #2: Holding the Misplaced Women? Sign, 2012

“Mirror, Mirror – Spread Your Reflection!” by Hoang Tran Hieu Hanh, Berlin (Jan. 2018)

Manspreading, Istanbul Underground, Photo: Tanja Ostojić, July 2021.

Partitura za izvodjenje performansa, br.2: Držanje natpisa

Score #1 -English

Score #2- English

_{U jeku aktuelnih progona, pretnji, i vređanja savremenih umetnika u Srbiji, a posebno performans umetnika, strip crtača, kao i članova Upravnog odbora i Tela ULUS-a koji orkestriraju mediji, pojedinci i grupe ekstremista, pozivam sve na solidarnost! Pripremajući svoj rad za pretstojeću Jesenju izložbu* Udruženja Likovnih Umetnika Srbije u Paviljonu Cvijeta Zuzorić na Kalemegdanu, upućujem poziv za jedan praktični ogled, za vas, vašu decu i prijatelje: pokušajte da se bavite performans umetnošću uz primenu ovih jednostavnih instrukcija. Tu sam ako bude pitanja.}

Tanja Ostojić: MISPLACED WOMEN? (2009-2020) delegirani performans

Partitura za izvodjenje performansa, br.2:  Držanje natpisa

Manje od sat vremena, sa ili bez priprema, jedan performer

Instrukcije:

1. Odaberite javni prostor značajan za migracije koji vas posebno intrigira.
2. Napravite svoj Misplaced Women? / Misplaced Man? / Misplaced Human? natpis ili baner (na kartonu, komadu papira, ili na tkanini. Može biti crtež, vez ili kolaž).
3. Držite natpis stojeći na odabranom mestu barem pola sata.
4. Zamolite nekoga da vas fotografiše dok tako stojite.
5. Možete da izvedete istu akciju na različitim lokacijama ili u različita doba dana, i da ih uporedite. U tom slučaju možete nacrtati mapu lokacija na kojima ste izveli performans.

Drawing by David Caines of Elena Marchevska holding the “Misplaced Women?” sign at Heathrow Airport London, realised in the frame of the “Misplaced Women?” performance art workshop in the public space by Tanja Ostojić, organized by LADA, London, December 2016.

Napomena:

Pozivam vas da razmislite o tome kako se osećate dok držite natpis, kako to rezonuje sa vašim životnim iskustvom, kako lokacije koje ste odabrali pulsiraju. Budite otvoreni za razgovor sa prolaznicima o natpisu koji držite, o problemima kojih se on dotiče i o tome šta oni imaju da kažu o tome.

Objavljivanje: 

Donesite svoj prilog (u formi natpisa, crteža, beleški, fotografija) na Jesenju izložbu* ULUS-a, Paviljon Cvijeta Zuzorić, Mali Kalemegdan, Beograd. / Pošaljite svoj prilog za objavljivanje na Misplaced Women? blogu                                    

Autorstvo i objavljivanje:

Sa “Misplaced Women?” projektom obraćamo posebnu pažnju na koautorstvo. Molimo vas da potpišete sopstvenu akciju kada je delite na društvenim mrežama sa: Misplaced Women?, delegirani performans Tanje Ostojić, Score#1 / Score#2, vaše ime i prezime, datum, trajanje i lokacija. Mi ćemo učiniti isto sa vašim prilozima. Molimo vas da nas obavestite da li ste saglasni sa objavljivanjem vašeg priloga na Misplaced Women? blogu i u kontekstu izložbi arhiva projekta.

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* Jesenja izložba: će biti održana u periodu od 12. novembra do 6. decembra 2020.

Link for the English version of this post

Partitura za izvođenje performansa, br.1: Raspakivanje lične torbe

_{U jeku aktuelnih progona, pretnji, i vređanja savremenih umetnika u Srbiji, a posebno performans umetnika, strip crtača, kao i članova Upravnog odbora i Tela ULUS-a koji orkestriraju mediji, pojedinci i grupe ekstremista, pozivam sve na solidarnost! Pripremajući svoj rad za pretstojeću Jesenju izložbu* Udruženja Likovnih Umetnika Srbije u Paviljonu Cvijeta Zuzorić na Kalemegdanu, upućujem poziv za jedan praktični ogled, za vas, vašu decu i prijatelje: pokušajte da se bavite performans umetnošću uz primenu ovih jednostavnih instrukcija. Tu sam ako bude pitanja.}

Tanja Ostojić: MISPLACED WOMEN? (2009-2020) delegirani performans

Partitura za izvodjenje performansa, br.1:  Raspakivanje lične torbe 

Oko sat vremena, sa/bez pripremama, jedan/više performera, prostor vezan za migracije

Instrukcije:

1. Odaberite javni prostor od značaja za migracije koji vas posebno intrigira (javni prevoz, glavna autobuska stanica, aerodrom, granica, džentrifikovani deo grada…)
2. Kada stignete tamo raspakujte svoju torbu (kao na primer: tašnu, ranac, kofer, ceger sa ličnim stvarima ili praznim plastičnim kesama i pakovanjima od potrošačkih proizvoda…)
3. Izvadite svaku stvar napolje i izvrnite je naopačke. Izvrnite unutrašnjost torbe  napolje. Izvadite sve iz svojih džepova. Izvrnite džepove. Skinite cipele. Izvucite pertle. Nakon što ste sve raspakovali, pogledajte da li možete još nešto da otkrijete.
4. Za napredne i posebno motivisane: Možete uraditi isto na različitim lokacijama, da vidite da li se vaša akcija različito percipira u drugo vreme i na drugim mestima. U tom slučaju, nacrtajte mapu gde ste sve izvodili performans.

Drawing by David Caines of the performance by Teresa Albor in Westfield Shopping Mall, London, realised in the frame of the “Misplaced Women?” performance art workshop in the public space by Tanja Ostojić, organized by LADA, London, December 2016.

Napomena:

Razmislite o tome kako se osećate dok ovo radite u javnosti. Da li se osećate izloženo? Kako ovo iskustvo rezonuje sa vašim životnim iskustvom i da li vas približava ljudima u izbeglištvu, u tranzitu, sa ljudima koji žive na ulici ili slično… Budite otvoreni za razgovor sa prolaznicima o tome šta radite i zašto to radite. Neka performans traje barem pola sata… Ako ste se hektično raspakovali, nakon kratke pauze i razmene, pokušajte da spakujete svoje stvari sa pažnjom i s poštovanjem (ili obrnuto).

Posebna napomena:

Može se  ispostaviti da prostori za koje smatramo da su javni, zapravo to nisu. To znaži da sa ovim performansom možete preispitivati javni prostor i uvideti gde (ni)je moguće izvesti ovu akciju. Obezbeđenje vas može odgurnuti metar od ulaza (u šoping centar ili ono što su danas postale železničke stanice) ili vas policija može pitati — “Šta radite?”–. Savetujem da povedete nekoga sa sobom ko će pokušati da zagovara obezbeđenje, dok ne završite performans. Takođe možete reći da tražite neku svoju stvar (šta god to bilo), kako biste izbegli da budete izbačeni ili uhapšeni.. s obzirom da su performansi i snimanje zabranjeni na mnogim mestima.

Objavljivanje: 

Donesite svoj prilog (u formi natpisa, crteža, beleški, fotografija) na Jesenju izložbu* ULUS-a, Paviljon Cvijeta Zuzorić, Mali Kalemegdan, Beograd. / Pošaljite svoj prilog za objavljivanje na Misplaced Women? blogu projekata.                                     

Autorstvo i objavljivanje:

Sa “Misplaced Women?” projektom obraćamo posebnu pažnju na koautorstvo. Molimo vas da potpišete sopstvenu akciju kada je delite na društvenim mrežama sa: Misplaced Women?, delegirani performans Tanje Ostojić, Score#1 / Score#2, vaše ime i prezime, datum, trajanje i lokacija. Mi ćemo učiniti isto sa vašim prilozima. Molimo vas da nas obavestite da li ste saglasni sa objavljivanjem vašeg priloga na Misplaced Women? blogu i u kontekstu izložbi arhiva projekta.

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* Jesenja izložba će biti održana u periodu od 12. novembra do 6. decembra 2020.

Link for the English version of this post

Score #2: Holding the Misplaced Women? Sign

Tanja Ostojić: 

Misplaced Women? 

(ongoing since 2009)

delegated performance

Score #2:  Holding the Misplaced Women? Sign

Less then hour, no, or with preparation, one or more performers

Instruction: 

1. Select a migration specific place that resonates to you 

2. Make your own MISPLACED WOMEN? (or MISPLACED MAN? / or MISPLACED HUMAN?) Sign or a banner (on a cardboard, on a piece of paper, on some cloth. It can be a drawing or an embroidery or even a collage). 

3. Stand there and hold it for at least half-an-hour. 

4. Ask someone to take a photo of you standing there. 

5. You can do the same action at the variety of places and see how different it is being perceived at different times and locations. In such case you might draw a map of locations you performed at. 

Note: 

Reflect a pone how does it feel to hold the sign, how does it resonates with you, with your life experience, how the location you have chosen pulsates, and does it bring you closer to the people on the move, on the street, etc. Be open to talk to passing by people about the sign you are holding and the related issues and to what they have to say about it. 

Misplaced Women sign Photo: Amy Bryzgel

On October 12 2016, Bojana Videkanić holding the “Misplaced Women?” sign on the Pearson International Airport in Toronto and diving into her profoundly touching memories about her initiation into the life of a refugee escaping Sarajevo siege in 1992 and her and her family life as refuges in the UK, Croatia and Canada. Photo: Tanja Ostojić

Publishing:

Send a photo or a drawing of yourself holding the sing, the description about how did it go (your name, date, time, duration, location and what happened) and the related written reflections and overview of dialogues that might habe occurred. Please let us know if you would like that your contribution is published on the “Misplaced Women?” project blog.

  We would greatly appreciate your permission to publish it.

Score #1: unpacking a bag of your own

Tanja Ostojić:  MISPLACED WOMEN? (ongoing since 2009)

delegated performance

More or less then one hour, with or without preparation, one or  more performers, migration specific locations 

About:

Misplaced Women? is an art project that welcomes contributions by people from divers backgrounds that embody and enact some of everyday life activities that signify a displacement. Participants are invited to perform and reflect a pone different notions of traveling, identity, illegality, homelessness, security, privat space/ public space, and to share there experiences on the project blog.

Instruction: 

1. Select a migration specific place that resonates to you (public transportation, central bus station, airport, border, aria affected with gentrification..)

2. Get there and unpack a bag of your own (such as your own purse or back pack or a bag with empty plastic bags, or packaging from consumers articles..).

3. Take every single idem out and turn it inside out. Take all out of your pockets. Turn your pockets inside out. Take your shoes off. Ones you unpacked all, search to see if you discover something.

4. For advanced and additionally motivated: You can do the same action at a variety of places and see how different it is being perceived at different times and locations. In such a case, draw a map of where you have performed.

Note: 

Reflect a pone how does it feel to do this in public. Do you feel exposed? How does it resonates with your life experience, and does it bring you closer to the people on the move, people on the street, etc.. Be open to talk to passing by people about what you actually do and why. Let this performance last for at least half-an-hour. If you have unpacked your things in a hectic way, after “a brake” and exchange, try to pack items back with appreciation and care. (Or the other way around, right?)

Attention:

Places that are generally understood as public spaces might appear not to be such. That means that with your performance you might challenge the notion of public space, and see where it is (not) possible to do your action. A security guy might push you one meter away from the entrance (in a shopping mall or what many train stations also became now a days, right?) Or policeman might ask you –What are you doing?. I could only advice you to get one person with you to try to talk the security out, so that you can finish your performance. You may also say that you are looking for an item of your own that you really need but you are not sure if you took it with you. (What ever that might be, right?) This is to avoid being kicked out, arrested or so.., as performing and filming is usually not allowed at most places.

Crediting and Publishing: 

It is very important to credit everyone properly. With the “Misplaced Women?” project we pay special attention to that. Please be sure to fully credit your action as:

_____your name:  a performance in response to the “MISPLACED WOMEN?” (ongoing since 2009), delegated performance by Tanja Ostojić, “Score 1”… — where every you share it or print it. And we will do the same with your contribution. Send a photo or a drawing of yourself performing, the description about how did it go (your name, date, time, duration, location(s) and notes about what happened). Please let us know if you would like that your contribution is published on the project blog: We would greatly appreciate your permission to do so.

 

 Tanja Ostojic: Misplaced Women?
Performed by Tanja Ostojic at Bergen International Airport, 2011. Photo: Jannicke Olsen