The Green Monster in Aleppo

In Aleppo - Marta Pisco+Zoot Derks

2010-05-02T05:42:00.001-07:00

Monster's future adventures

2009-08-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

http://thegreenmonsterinbeirut.blogspot.com/

Images

2009-08-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Check below some photos by Issa Touma, taken in Aleppo in February 2008.

On the streets of Aleppo I

2009-08-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

On the streets of Aleppo II

2009-08-12T09:02:00.001-07:00

Debate with Women from Aleppo

2009-08-12T08:52:00.001-07:00

Drawings about Workshop

2009-08-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

dance workshop with children - Baath Party Art School

2009-08-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

Leaving Syria

2009-04-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

On the frontier post between Syria and Lebanon I showed my passport to the Syrian Authorities. And I waited. Together with me was a Syrian girl, eighteen years old, smart and beautiful. She was studying in a Lebanese University, and had been visiting her family in Aleppo for a few days. We talked non-stop for the all trip. Then at the border, she came with me to the foreigners’ line. “Huh?” “I have an Iranian Passport”, she explained.” My grandfather became Iranian on the days of the Shah. He didn’t want his sons to serve the army and go to the war in here…”

We gave our passports to the guards and they disappeared with them.
I don’t understand why should it take so long in these places. It might have to do with a show of power: “look, we make you wait until you feel totally frustrated and powerless. We own your time... ahahah”
I don’t think it has anything to do with being in the Middle East, last year on the US border I was waiting for a long time too… Is it a revenge of the people working there? Like trees jealous of passing buy leaves? “I’m stuck, I’ll hold you too!”

While I was waiting, I looked around the room. It was a medium-sized room, something like 50 sqm. I counted on the walls thirteen photos of Bashar al-Assad. Of different sizes and with different degrees of Photoshop, but still… there was almost no wall space left.
It was amusing and creepy. How many photos does one need? Are they afraid they will suddenly forget his face?

We finally got back in the bus and drove away.
On a curve, there was Bashar again. In full colour. Waiving at us, his head tilted in a somewhat vague smile. “Come back soon”, I think I read.

Two minutes later, there was the Lebanese army post. We stopped again. Some guards entered the bus and looked at the passengers. We might have been 10 passengers in total. They looked carefully at us, going up and down the aisle in the middle of the bus. As he passed by, I saw it. A machine gun. Right in front of my nose. I’d never seen a real one, and this one was really close. I felt a chill down my spine.

One of the guards asked for passports. He took a good look at my travelling companion’s. He asked her something, she replied coldly, and then he left. The flashy lady who had been chatting with the drivers exploded in indignation. The drivers mumbled accordingly. Everybody in the bus grunted softly.

“What happened, what did he ask you?” I turned to her. “He asked me why don’t I use my head scarf anymore.” I looked at her great dark curly hair. “Huh?” “On my passport I’m wearing one.” she added. (Of course, how foolish of me, an Iranian passport…)
“What did you say to him?” “ I said I did not like it anymore.” “Why would he ask you this?” “ I don’t know, maybe he is religious…” She sounded cool, but I could see she was a bit nervous.

At the border I got a permit for a one-month visit. I looked at he beautiful cedar tree stamped small on my passport and smiled. Then I put it back safely in my bag. I don’t like it when my precious passport is going from hand to hand like this.

As we drove by, people in the bus resume to their conversations. I can’t understand Arabic, but I had the feeling they fond the Lebanese guards’ behaviour, in general, how can I put it? A bit over zealous…

brief resume

2008-03-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

So I put on my green monster costume and hit the streets of Aleppo, shaking hands with man and women alike, waving at passing children that smiled back. Communication was finally happening! But this was just the beginning…

Very quickly this project went beyond men/women issues - it became a sort of soft provocation on hard politics. On one side, cultural, social and gender hardness, imposed by force and tradition, creating prejudice and distance towards the Other, the Different, the Alien. On the other side, a genderless soft Monster, stuck in its friendly smile, no face or eyes expression allowed, no voice, vulnerable and open as if it was naked, inside its frail shell of fluffy fabric and rubber. Vulnerable and almost expressionless, it became the ultimate provocation.

Reactions to this provocation varied from extremely negative to extremely positive. The negative reaction would start with indifference and end in pure aggression, hitting the Monster and trying to pull out its head. The positive reaction would start with smiling at the Monster, and end up by playing along in the fantasy of communicating with the green creature, by shaking hands, dancing together, speaking to it. Admitting the monster in their world, people would become bit monsters themselves.

The Girl experienced the looks and remarks she expected to. Annoying, but controllable. A girl can move away, use her body language, and give harsh looks.

On the third day she put a camera inside a small handbag and opened a hole on it. She walked on the street for hours, pointing her spying device at the face of men, and thinking, “Look at me! Look at me now!” From prey she became the hunter. It was inebriating. She almost got hooked to this powerful new feeling.

Children at the Baath Party Art School painted their faces green and went on the adventure of joining the monster. Women during the debate confessed to the Girl their strategies: look back with “laser eyes” at inquiring men, fantasized about dressing up like a man or covering their faces like traditional Muslim women do, or even putting on a mini skirt and walk on the streets – another way of provoking, an aggression that, like with the monster, works both ways, as one aggresses oneself too.

The Final Flyer

2008-02-14T23:59:00.001-08:00

Leaving today to Aleppo

2008-02-14T23:29:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm sitting on my suitcase trying to get it closed. The Green Monster suit is so big I almost have no space left to get any "real clothes" in there. But hey, who needs real clothes anyway?
The head I'll have to carry as hand luggage. I really hope authorities won't give me a hard time on that. Trying to think of a good justification for it if I'm asked...

Issa Touma has arranged for a permit for our activities. The hardest thing to explain was "why?", why do I want to do this, specially why do I want to do a workshop with children, "their children". Syrian authorities get very suspicious of everything that has no real, clear goal. What do I exactly want? Of course I can't say I'm trying to make them more tolerant for monsters... it was really a challenge to put it in other words, specially when things like the child's "developing coordination skills", "through a movement workshop", "get awareness of the body" don't make any sense for them either. I tried "entertainment" in the end, and it seemed to work... I hope it stays that way.

Now I don't know exactly what to expect.
Will I have a security force around me so tight that people can't even reach me?
Will I be able to fulfill my plan?
I know a lot has to be decided then and there. That's why I'm so much looking forward to arrive. I almost can't believe we're actually leaving!

New postponing!

2008-02-02T15:36:00.001-08:00

The project has been postponed again!
Last week Issa called me and asked me if we could come later, he needed 15 days more to finish negotiations with the local government in Aleppo. He is trying to insure that all his future artistic activities will be permitted, so a cancellation of a festival on its opening day will not happen ever again. I wonder for how long will he be able to keep this agreement, if he gets it... But of course I will not go is this situation.

Zoot was really shocked with the news. It is very hard for him to change program like that: he is doing a Master in Philosophy and has a very tight schedule. Luckily I had left this first trimester of 2008 with a very loose programming, so I could, not with much trouble, change my dates.

Let's hope Issa manages to secure our activity there, so we can go. Our visas expire the 3rd of March... Also it is not sure if Zoot can make it, which is really a bugger, as I would have to find a new camera person in an extremely short time. Not to mention it would be a pity to throw away so many months of preparation together...

I guess this waiting is becoming part of the project too. Waiting, building up expectations, investing emotionally, and then waiting again. It's not easy.
It also makes it become more precious, and every time we have to wait, I have time to go deeper in the concept.
And to experiment.
Like we did last week in Amsterdam.

25th January: Kalverstraat, Amsterdam

2008-02-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

Photos taken by Maha Hassan. Zoot Derks with the camera. Marta Pisco in the costume.
First experience being a monster in a crowded street: exciting, weird, feeling naked, feeling lonely, being loved and hugged by strangers, not being in control, gaining different powers, loosing identity.

The Official Invitation

2008-01-22T06:14:00.000-08:00

This is the Official Invitation for the Festival. The 7th Women's Art Festival of Aleppo started on the 30th of November 2007, and I was scheduled to begin with my project on the 8th of December. Unfortunately, the political police invaded the festival's opening and had it closed the same night. It was a big disappointment for the festival's director Issa Touma and the present artists. Issa was taken for interrogation, but set free after 6 hours of detention. He told me they just let him waiting in a empty room for the all time, and then let him go with no explanation...

This was the second major set-back on this Festival's edition. First they were offered the usage of the Old Health Center exhibit hall for the festival, which would allow it to happen in a period of ten days, concentrating the artists and the art events in one building and in a shorter period of time. This would also increase the impact of such an event, of course. Later, they got the news that the space was no longer available, though it has been abandoned for many years. That was the moment when Issa Touma and the festival's organization decided to spread the program over a few weeks, enabling all the works to be exhibited in their home base, the relatively small Le Pont Gallery in Aleppo.

And then, this... Closing the event on the day it begun! It's hard to work against all odds.

So, I was asked if I could come later, as the organization would need time to reorganize the event. On the day I was supposed to fly to Aleppo I managed to postpone my tickets (very nice people at www.tickettracker.nl) and fortunately our visas were valid until March 2008, so we were able to postpone the all thing. The sponsors were also ok with it, so it was with a slightly awkward feeling that I just stopped thinking about the project and concentrated on Christmas instead!

But now it's for sure! We are coming!

The Monster in Amsterdam

2008-01-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I took in Amsterdam on the 12th December 2007. With the collaboration of Ji-Huyn Youn, the model inside the costume.

More Pictures

2008-01-22T05:24:00.001-08:00

These are the two pictures I am using for this project. The original photos were taken by Issa Touma (the Festival's Director) in a December morning in Aleppo. They were then worked upon by Joana Morais (www.manamana.pt). I have taken the photos of the monster in Amsterdam, Ji-Huyn Youn being my "model" inside the suit.
I have chosen the second photo for my webflyer and the first photo was chosen by the Festival's organization for their catalogue. I prefered the second photo because a woman and a child are depicted in it, and those are my communication targets in this project. The first photo, where you can see in the background a picture of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is also good: no matter where you are in Syria you constantly see depictions of their leader in different formats all over public spaces. It reminds you that "he is watching you". But of course, it could also be "his kind eye looking upon his people"... it depends on how you choose to look at it. The political aspect of my project is very important as in Syria it is an overwhelming issue, but I rather address it through human contact than through direct referencing.

The web-flyer + project description

2008-01-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

(click on it for a bigger image)

THE GREEN MONSTER IN ALEPPO

A green monster walks the streets of Aleppo everyday for a few hours. It’s a friendly monster, not a bad one.

The monster is a tourist, he’s sightseeing in Aleppo.

He goes only to nice, outdoors, public places where social interaction occurs, like parks, terraces, maybe a market, maybe a school. A cameraman films the monster. He makes contact with people, but never speaks. He communicates by gestures. He also can do a little dance.

One hour before the monster’s walk, I will go out with the cameraman on my regular clothes (discreet western clothes) and do exactly what the monster will do after me. I will be the regular Western Girl. A carefully planned choreography will enable me to time the activities in such a way that the exact amount of time will be spent. An example could be that I leave the hotel, I walk on a street, go to a park, buy a drink and sit on a bench reading. Or that I go to a fruit shop and buy myself some fruit, walking back home through a different street.

An hour later, the monster would do exactly the same thing.

I’d like to be freed from my "western woman" role and experiment interaction on a different level. Inside my monster’s outfit, people wouldn't be able to see my face, or hands, nothing. People wouldn't know who or what I am. The cameraman would film me, not the people around me, unless they come close enough.

In the evening, a short film (about 10/15 minutes per day) is showed on a TV in the exhibition space at the Women’s Art Festival. By the TV one can see the monster suit and head, resting on a chair. This short film tells about the Monster’s adventures of the day. The footage of both the Monster and the Girl’s “siamese activity” are mixed. Gradually, as days go by, one looses track of who is whom. This project will last 4 days.

This weblog will be daily updated with information about the project and links to the short movies. This will be only possible if we can break through the tight local control on internet. If not, we will upload the films and the information upon our return to the Netherlands.

With this project I would like to learn from Syrian people getting through the layer of strict social conduct that kept me away from them before. I’d also like to learn from the experience and input of fellow artists/collaborators.
This way I would have fun as a green monster in Aleppo, record it, show it. I’d be in touch with the surroundings, and show my experience in a light form that enhances what people have in common and not what separates them. It will also probably enhance the different treatment women and monsters get…

HOW TO BECOME A MONSTER - Workshop with children

I would like to do a workshop on “How to Become a Monster” with children in collaboration with a local school. It would be a one hour grim and dance workshop where I would like to invite children to “become” monsters themselves, by painting their faces green and adding some props (fake ears, for instance). We would then do some dancing in a playful way. Accepting difference, embracing difference and having fun is the goal of the workshop.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? - Debate Proposal

After the 4 days of filming and the workshop with children I would like to organize a debate with about 15/20 women from Aleppo in which I would show them some material from my project and some filming done in Amsterdam. I would like to organize a discussion about the issues that led me to do this project and ask them what do they think about it. My intention is to create a self-spoting amusing piece of material that would provoke laugh, and from laugh go into more deeper concerns and questions. This debate would be filmed.

Post - Production

The result of this work would be edited into a DVD and showed in Amsterdam.
I also which to do a series of DVDs were the monster goes other places in the world.

Marta Pisco: concept, performance, design of installation.
Zoot Derks: cameraman, video-editor, webmaster.
Joana Morais (www.manamana.pt): graphic design.
Magda Chrost: costume making.

Working plan (2008):

- 1st Feb.: flying Amsterdam/Damascus/Aleppo
- 2nd Feb.: meeting with fellow Syrian artist and preparations. Building of installation in exhibition space (Le Pont Gallery - Aleppo). Preparations for shooting.
- 3rd/ 6th Feb.: daily filming and editing. In the evening, showing of edited daily adventures on video installation.
- 5th Feb.: workshop with children.
- 7th Feb.: debate with women from Aleppo.
- 9th Feb.: leaving Aleppo.

Supported by:

- Le Pont Gallery - 7th Women’s Art Festival of Aleppo
- DasArts (www.dasarts.nl)
- Kosmoplis (www.kosmopolis.nl)
- Mondriaan Fonds (www.mondriaanfoundation.nl)

Many thanks to:
Issa Touma, Chris Keulemans, Rachida Azough, Elizabeth Shirinian, Anat Stainberg, Jeanette Groenendal, Mark Jansen, Arlette Munchter, Maha Hassan, Hassan Choubassi & Maya, Joana Toste, Ji-Hyun Youn, Reuben Wijnberg