25/09 OPENSPACE: Tales of Transitioning (Vera Boitsova, China)

19:00 / loft COM.NATA / Hall 1 / 136 Obvodnogo Kanala Embankment

Vera Boitsova, an artist, theater director, feminist, and LGBT activist will show us a part of the performance «Tales of Transformation» and will teach the Queerfest quests how to create a tale and performance out of your personal trauma.

«Tales of Transformation is a video live performance that looks into the possibilities of transforming your personal trauma into a magical narrative full of surrealistic characters and video-twins. Each story, each painful experience from a documental monologue becomes an exaggerated world from other reality, as far away from routine details as possible, and yet clearly showing the essence of this experience», — says the author.

Currently the show features 8 tales of gender identity, fear, depression, love, and a search for home. Tales of Transformation has more than 50 videos with more than 30 different characters, who are having a dialogue with a Tale’s Master — the one who narrates the stories. The project was created for a Finnish queer art organization Kucku Transfolk. Its premiere took place in art center Forum in Loviisa in March, 2019.

After the performance Queerfest quests can enjoy a workshop. «I see a format of tale and exaggeration as a sort of art-therapy, which gives the participants the opportunity to be heard without exposing their souls and getting hurt even more», — Vera tells about her project.

The workshop is aimed to fight an under-representation of queer culture in magical narratives. «When I was searching for inspiration for my tales I realized that it would be challenging to find something different from a ‘Hero-heroine’ cliché», — notes the author.

The performance and workshop will last for 2.5 hours. The performance will be shown in English.