Arena Baubo proudly post/non/mis/re/present

Photo: José Figueroa

MDT, SITE, Konstfack, Stockholm University in Stockholm, Inkonst in Malmö, The Theatre Museum and Space for Free Art in Helsinki 2012-2013

Multi-tasking seminars

In an attempt not to represent the audience members they are proposed to participate and create their own experiences and exchanges. The seminars are hybrids of activities and discussions, where Multi-Tasking becomes a tool to encourage new impulses, ideas and meetings. They make up a continuous exploration of topics that are central to this project. The seminars are combining any of the following:

ACTIVITIES:

★ Vagina painting
★ Cooking
★ Colouring in pictures from The Cunt Colouring Book
★ Cunt Workout

DISCUSSIONS:

★ The explicit body in Performance
Rebecca Schneider’s analysis of the subversive potential of the explicit body, together with examples of artworks by among others Carolee Schneemann, Annie Sprinkle and Shigeko Kubota, work as points of departure for further discussion.

★ Whose language? The concept of woman called into question
Can feminists continue a struggle to end women’s oppression if the meaningfulness of the concept ‘woman’ is called into doubt? Chantal Mouffe’s and Alessandra Tanesini’s thoughts on essentialist language and feminist strategies form the basis of this discussion.

★ Minor Literature – Deleuze & Guattari and non/representation
The seminar is focussed on the thoughts and theories of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari on non/representation and the political potential of art.

★ The Cunt as a Political Weapon
In this seminar, attention is given to real and fictive political actions, applying the cunt as a weapon. Participants are invited to talk about and envision new ideas for political cunt activism.

Extra option:
Everybody is asked to wear a Pussy Riot Mask in order to explore the power of anonymity.

Concept: Arena Baubo
Facilitator: Kajsa Wadhia
Inspiration: Tiina Rosenberg
Language: Swedish or English

The seminars are part of ARENA BAUBO proudly post/non/mis/re/present. The event is split up into two evenings that can be presented individually or together, meaning one or two evenings. Each evening lasts approximately 2 hours + break.

In the project Arena Baubo is re-thinking representation in performance. The group has immersed in the discourse through workshops and seminars with theoreticians Paula Caspão, Akseli Virtanen and Tiina Rosenberg resulting in experimentative formats for discussions merged with post/non/mis/re/presentations of the Baubo myth.

Baubo was an old lady who exposed her vagina in an obscene dance provoking the mourning Goddess Demeter to laugh. Baubo is often portrayed with her face placed on top of an enlarged lower body. She is a personified vulva / pig / genius / gorilla / event / becoming / communism / Robin Hood / 3D rose / financial crisis / anarchist / fold / movement / map / post-porn star / …

The opening of the project was at MDT, Stockholm Autumn 2012 . The project has also been shown at Inkonst, Malmö, SITE Stockholm, Stockholm University, The Theatre Museum, Space for Free Art and Pride in Helsinki and on a Nordic train tour.
Light Design: Mikko Kaukolampi
Producer: Emelie Bergbohm

Supported by Swedish Art Council, Nordic Culture Point, Nordic Culture Fund,  Kulturfornden för Sverige och Finland, MDT, Konstfack, Stockholms Universitet and Studiefrämjandet  .