Ollie writes a children's book about changing names based on their own experience of transitioning and name change. This book includes a story about adoption of plants as a metaphor of queer parenting. The story plays out as a meeting between a fly and a lot of potted plants:
“The fly called all its friends, but none of them knew what to do. So the fly decided to investigate the matter itself. It left its balcony, where it had lived peacefully for many years, and flew across Tallinn toward the scene. It could follow the smoke to find its way. But the closer it got, the harder it became to breathe and see through the thick smoke. The fly had to rely on its intuition — to fly forward blindly and feel its way through. When the fly finally arrived, it saw a huge building filled with potted plants, but the building was surrounded by flames. The plants were screaming from the heat: “Help us! We can’t get out!””
During the residency we are going to work on a presentation of Ollie’s book. The presentation will be a paper shadow theatre supported by Marina’s music (live electronics and cello). We will develop the performance together. The idea and concept of the book is expanding while working, and Ollie will continue working on the book after the residency as well.
Marina Karpova is a musician, sound artist, and janitor. Marina is a non-binary person and a single parent of two children. Marina lives and works in Tallinn as a political refugee.
Ollie Hermansson is an artist that, through performance, strives to create space for vulnerability and curiosity. By working with their own biography as a material, they share and investigate stories about queer identities, communities and futures. They hold an MFA from Oslo National Academy of the Arts and have studied Performative Art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Ollie is currently based in Oslo, Norway, but has been travelling back and forth between Tallinn and Oslo for the past few months.
