In First Person: The House [Digital] is initiated by Bergen based performer Daniel Mariblanca in collaboration with filmmaker Ursula Kaufmann. Through dance, performance, film, and personal stories created and performed by a cast of ten transgender protagonists, the project aims to give space and visibility to personal transgender experiences by elaborate and deepen the discussions about gender identity, collective transgender history, and social norms.

Transgender identities are not only influenced by gender experiences. They are intersected by other factors such as family and community support, educational access, internalized dysphoria, personal dreams, age, health, work opportunities, nationality, class and access to medical treatments. These factors and more are defining how transgender people are included and function in society. They also directly and indirectly affect the individual choices related to existing in a social construction. To understand the complexity of our transgender existences one must be aware of the relationship between our societal connections and the spectrum of gender diversity within the trans community.

In First Person: The House [Digital] will offer the audience unique narratives around how our transgender identities influence public spaces and question the codes in those spaces. In the course of the ten episodes we will invite you to live with us, share our experiences and engage with us through an interactive format. We aim to explore as well as challenge the connections and differences between personal, intimate, public, political and collective spaces where transgender people exist and live.

With Barry de Bruin (NLD), Bart Bloem (ESP/SWE), Christer André Gudmundsdottir (NOR), Isak Bradley (NOR), Joakim Eide (NOR), Judith Juanhuix (CAT), Koyote Millar (GBR/NOR), Silje-Håvard Bolstad (NOR), and Tonje Havstad (NOR). Also guest protagonists Angel B. Lopez (USA/PHL/ESP), Charlie Black (ITA), Kaeto Sweeney (FRA/NOR), Mabell (NOR), and more. Produced by 71BODIES and its crew in collaboration with ↗︎ Bergen Kjøtt, ↗︎ BIT Teatergarasjen, ↗︎ Carte Blanche, Karmaklubb*, ↗︎ KRAFT, ↗︎ Kunsthall 3,14, ↗︎ Wrap, and the ↗︎ What You See Festival, an international art event on gender and identity in the Netherlands. Supported by a wide range of partners, full list ↗︎ here.

‘It felt like a fucking epiphany […] It opens up a whole galaxy when you break down the gender binary.’ Quote Charlie Black, episode 6.

‘I am sure that being trans is a talent. And not everyone have every talent. So, if you are not trans, I am sure you have some other talent that you should nourish and be proud of.’ Quote Silje-Håvard Bolstad, episode 9.

Karmaklubb* is so honoured to take part in sharing the premiere of In First Person: The House [Digital], 4–8 and 11–15 August 2020. All 10 chapters was streamed live from different locations in and around Bergen, every day from 19:00 to 20:00 CEST. Some days longer. All chapters now available below. The video from chapter 10, ↗︎ here.

↗︎ Streamings through 71BODIES’↗︎ channel on Vimeo. A further presentation of ↗︎ The House [Digital] ↗︎ and the protagonists here. General info on the beauty of ↗︎ 71BODIES — click here.

↓ See all 34 images

Play

In First Person is a multidisciplinary artistic project initiated and produced by Daniel Mariblanca (ESP/NOR) / 71BODIES (ESP/NOR) in collaboration with various artists, such as the filmmaker Ursula Kaufmann (ESP), Kjersti Alm Eriksen, Thomas Bruvik, and Florian Dorrhofer. Through exploring and connecting different art forms with research and academic perspectives, the project gives space and visibility to personal transgender experiences with the aim to elaborate and deepen discussions about gender identity, collective transgender history and social norms. The project is consisting of three singular pieces that function apart while simultaneously creating one coherent work: The House [Digital], The Festival (Litteraturhuset, Bergen, 17 September; Kunsthall 3,14 and KRAFT, Bergen, 18–19 September), and The Dance (Studio Bergen, 24–25 October). ↗︎ More info on ↗︎ In First Person ↗︎ here.

Most of this material is courtesy of Daniel Mariblanca, 71BODIES, and Ursula Kaufmann.