Misplaced Women?

Misplaced Women?
Performed by Tanja Ostojic

On Tuesday November 8 form 13:40 I performed my “Misplaced Women?” at arrivals & departures terminal of Bergen international airport. In approximately 30 minutes time I took out the entire contents of my two suitcases, out of my handbag as well as out of my cosmetics and make-up bags. I took out each single item one by one, turning them in side out, and placing them all on the floor of the terminal on red SAS blanket that I have borrowed form the airplane few minutes ago.

Bergen airport security guy let me finish my performance after he asked if I needed help. Well, I said NO.
– “So, what are you doing here?” – he asked.
– “I´m looking for something that I need for my performance on the University on Thursday. Hope I did not forgot it.”- Was my answer – while taking out every single item from my cosmetic bag that I turned inside out, as well as all my tights, socks, underwear, pullovers…

I landed to the Bergen´s mist and fog well, after connected flight from Berlin over Copenhagen. The purpose of my visit here was to take part in MIGRATION, GLOBALIZATION AND NEW SOCIAL FORMATIONS – IMER – International Migration and Ethnic Relations Research Unit Bergen conference:

http://org.uib.no/imer/seminars/IMER%20Bergen%2015%20year%20conference_9-11%20November%202011.html

Photo: Jannicke Olsen

—————-

There have been as well series of delegated performances “Misplaced Women? Marking the City” – by Tanja Ostojic- in Bergen, on November 2, 2011
Performed by: Pavana Reid, Mahlet Ogbe Habte, Gillian Carson, Kwestan Jamal Bawan and Karen Kipphoff, on November 2, 2011 on five different locations in Bergen that are particularly significant for migrants in the city:
1- Main Train Station
2- Police Station
3- BIKS, Bergen International Art Center
4-Western Union Bank
5-Language School for Foreigners

Map under this link:
Bergen, “Misplaced Women? Marking the City” – Map, November 2, 2011

All contributions have been archived here:

http://misplacedwomen.wordpress.com/category/bergen/

About

Misplaced Women? is a delegated performance in which women volunteers carry packed suitcases in the public spaces repeatedly pausing to pack and unpack as they move about the city.

In this project, Tanja Ostojic enacts an everyday life activity that signifies a displacement as common to transients, migrants, and disaster refugees, as it is to the itinerant artist travelling the world to earn her living. Ostojic’s street performance continues themes of migration, desired mobility, and relations of power and vulnerability in regards to the mobile female body, found in much of her previous work.

You are invited to perform Misplaced Women? and to share your experience on the web and during public discussions.

Locations for performances suggested by the artist include: train stations (inside and outside); women’s house, (in front or inside); refugee camps for illegalized people, shopping malls/market places; ports, airports, underground (inside metro while driving, underground stations)

Tanja Ostojic would like to hear from anyone performing this delegated piece: Please post your contributions in the form of images, notes or texts to this blog, or upload your video clips to Misplaced Women? account at Vimeo. For further guidelines please send a mail to: misplacedwomen[at]yahoo.com