Becoming Alman (Opening)

Physical artefacts, mixed media and performance - in this artistic field of tension, the Bulgarian artist Lora Krasteva invites you to a performative exhibition with "Becoming Alman", which revolves around the themes of identity and nationality.

After the first events in the Czech Republic (“Becoming Czech”) and Romania (“Becoming Romanian”), “Becoming Alman” is the third of four editions of their production “Becoming […]”, which is touring as part of Perform Europe, at Oyoun. On view will be an interactive installation by Jingyun Li on the theme of language, a documented intervention by Jô Osbórnia, visual artworks by Elif Çelik and a performance directed by Lora Krasteva.

Time schedule: 
19.30pm - Arrive - Explore the exhibition
20.00:XNUMX p.m. - Beginning of the exchange 
20.30pm - Meet at Oyoun's garden café for an informal meeting with the artists and participants.

>> Free entry! A free ticket reservation is requested (please scroll down).

>> The event is in English, other languages ​​are also represented. 

Curated by Lora Krasteva, in collaboration with jô osbórnia, Elif Çelik & Jingyun Li

With contributions by Eda Özkan, Ezzio Dante Debernardi Pizarro, Antonia Giesen, Sabir Maharramov, Fortuna Hernández, Mubaraka Farahmand, Shamayel Shalizi, Franco Fernando Toledo Flores, sondos shabayek, Murad Yuzbashov, Jota Ramos, Helga Elsner Torres 

Produced by Claire Gilbert

With thanks to Beyza Yavuzradas, Aija, Harkiran Kelsi and the interview partners who wish to remain anonymous. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

_Lora Krasteva

... is a Bulgarian artist based in Sheffield, UK. Her experiences of migrating to six different countries and her recent insights from applying for British citizenship led her to this project.
Lora is part of Global Voices Theatre, a theater company dedicated to introducing international theater to the UK by long-excluded creatives. She creates socially engaged theater with professionals and other members of the community alike. She has worked with Arts & Homelessness International to advocate for a place for creativity in homelessness. Lora is a member of What Next? and founding member of Migrants in Theatre, a movement campaigning for better representation of first-generation immigrants on and offstage.

_jô osbórnia

... is a poet, performer and translator. In her work she is interested in questions of gender and colonialism. More specifically, from her position as a travesty migrant in Europe, she seeks to reflect on poetic and performative languages ​​that might imply anti-colonial thinking/attitudes in the metropolis. She writes mainly in Portuguese/Brazilian/Brazilian and German.

_Jingyun Li

... studied Media Studies (Bachelor) with a minor in Chinese Languages ​​and Literature at Fudan University (China), Duke University and the University of California, Santa Barbara (USA) as well as International Dramaturgy (Master) at the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) . After working as a dramaturge at the Opera Forward Festival 2019 at the Dutch National Opera and at the Holland Festival, she came to Germany in 2019, where she was an intern at the Komische Oper Berlin and jtw Spandau. Her own projects deal with sexuality, cultures and languages ​​and are therefore interdisciplinary and multilingual. Li is currently co-curator of the international program at Stadttheater Spandau GbR and works at APAL@AmnAsian and the Performing Arts Festival.

_Elif Celik

... was born in Ulm in 1997 and has been studying fine arts at the Stuttgart Art Academy since 2016. She is currently in Alisa Margolis' class. In her work, she shows how external conditions in her social environment unbalance or manipulate the orientation process of her German-Turkish identity. As a Muslim woman, she tries to open a discourse with her painting. She wants to confront viewers with the fact that they and other people in Germany are constantly being watched because they don't conform to the norms of mainstream society.

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This is the third Becoming [...] after the Czech Republic at Teren (March), Romania at Replica (April) and ahead of the UK at Bloc Projects (June). 

PerformEurope is an EU-funded project that aims to rethink the cross-border presentation of performing arts works in a more inclusive, sustainable and balanced way. The 18-month journey includes a research phase, the launch of a digital platform, the piloting of a funding program and the development of policy recommendations.

Perform Europe is funded by the European Union's Creative Europe program and co-managed by a consortium of 5 organisations:  IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts, the European Festivals Association (EFA), Circostrada, EDN – European Dancehouse Network, Und IDEA Consult.

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