the smell of salt

Item I: The Annunciation

A ceremony where I ask the audience to guide me into this new fase in my life: adulthood.

“Traditions are very important in the Surinam culture. Especially traditions to say farewell. A Surinam funeral is a festivity, a celebration of life. And also very religious.

Since I don’t believe in God anymore, it was hard for me to mourn the passing of my last grandparent. But as much as I try, the need to give an ending as much meaning as a beginning stays deeply rooted inside me.

That’s why I would like to ask you to help me say goodbye to my grandmother and a part of my youth that went with her. And also, to God and the fantasy of the afterlife.”

Inspired by Joseph Beuys’ philosophy and Tracey Emin’s charismatic openness, I re-appropriate elements from the traditional Creole mourning fase in a participating performance.

Click here for the full documentation of the performance.

Performance

Ellen Hengstman

Sophie Loonen

Jacqui Brown

Sigrid Sundholm

Annabel Kanaar

Yoeri van Esseveld

Stage and costume design

Bas Giesen

Dramaturgy

Freek Duinhof

Camera

Adina Balatova

Production

Likeminds

Have you been eating well? If not, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. You need vitamins; you need protein.

You’re probably not drinking enough water.

When is the last time you showered? Take a cold shower to wake you up or a hot shower if you need to relax.

Do the laundry that’s been piling up. You’ve been wearing that sweatshirt for too long.

Take care of the dishes in the sink that have been there for three days and have started to stress you out.

Did you brush your teeth this morning? How about your hair?

Listen to the messages on your phone that have been there for days.

Go outside for at least a couple minutes. You don’t even have to do anything; just sit down. Breathe in the fresh air and get some vitamin D.

Open your blinds. Your room is too dark and it’s probably making you tired.

Spend some time with your pet. Pet them, feed them, take them for a walk or clean out their litterbox. Caring for them will make you feel useful and responsible and give you something to do.

say “I’m not like other girls”

wear “natural” make up but never talk about make up or display any evidence of your grooming habits

be super skinny but also never turn down a burger

join in when men discuss women’s bodies as sexual objects

let men use sexist slurs like “bitch” around you

hate on feminism

validate men’s opinions when they say women are stupid and shallow

say “not all men” whenever women want to talk about misogyny

talk about women as if we are animals that exist in two breeds: the Fuck Meat and the Cool Girls

talk about how much better men are

shame other women and talk about how much you’re not like them because women are inferior to men

join in on the misogynistic jokes, laugh at the oppression of women

prioritize men in everything

in an argument always take the man’s side

laugh along and agree when men make belittling jokes about your abilities

laugh along about how funny it is that all the female stereotypes apply to you and you’re proud to be submissive to men

then go and bring them beers and make them sandwiches when they ask just to be ironic

simultaneously hold the contradictory opinion that you are a free thinker unlike other women