In the midst of lockdown in 2020, performance artist, writer, and [gender] researcher Wencke Mühleisen (NOR) (born 1953) and curator and art producer Håkon Lillegraven (NOR) (born 1992) began a digital letter correspondence, reflecting on their distinct upbringings and formative relationships to friends, books, films, art, and other life partners. Interwoven with the queer and feminist ideas and movements which affected their (still ongoing) ‘coming of age'. In the dark winter days of 2021 they finally met in person, in Wencke’s apartment in the Ekeberg neighborhood in Oslo, where they spoke about their correspondence so far, and what their hopes for what emancipatory notions the post-pandemic future could bring!

The first meeting? Below is Håkon and Wencke at the ↗︎ Karmaklubb* conversation between Chris Kraus (USA)↗︎ and Wencke, moderated by Constance Tenvik (NOR)↗︎ , 8 June 2019, Kunstnernes Hus. Photos by Julie Hrnčířová (CZE).

This conversation between Håkon and Wencke is about their ongoing work for Karmaklubb* that will also be published as written text, in fact letters, as part of the upcoming ‘book of karma*’, hopefully due 2022, perhaps digitally before then. Made with the much appreciated support by the ↗︎ The Fritt Ord Foundation / Stiftelsen Fritt Ord and ↗︎ Arts and Culture Norway (Kulturdirektoratet) . An expanded way of publishing by Karmaklubb* and the IGWTLI publishing.

This conversation was done accompanied with lit candles, some fruit and nuts. and both red and white fermented grape juice softly passing our tongues on its way down our throats. We recommend you to pour a nice one, lit those candles, and enjoy yourself while listening to words.