THE TRANSFORM SHOW

40 minute Interactive liveshow for the Trans-form projects
Ahmedabad, India 2017
Videoart & directing: Tina Johnsson

The Transform show was the finishing show of the Trans-form project of 2017 in Ahmedabad. I conducted theatre- and dance workshops in schools in the Gulbai Tekra slum and the Vikas Gruh orphanage during the project. From these workshops 12 girls between 12-18 years old were asked to put together the show with me. Their characters, performances and my visuals grew to a manifest from within each girl. Where they manifested the godess, their dream alter-ego and natural element that resides within them. Together with local choreographer Malhar Dave we put together an interactive journey that started with the birth of universe and ended in the deep sea. The Trans-form artist created costume details. The music was selected by the girls.

 

THE TRANS-FORM PROJECT

Short documentary by Tina Johnsson
Ahmedabad, India 2017

The Transform Projects was first held in Ahmedabad in 2014 and was founded by the UK based Brasilian festival director, kathak dancer and carnival producer Manuela Benini. A community participatory activity that engaged international and Indian artists with schools, communities and orphanages in Ahmedabad. With art-based workshops, participants transform waste into carnival- and street art and instruments. Theatre and music workshops, as well as a regeneration and art project at orphanage Vikas Gruh. Led by international and local volunteers, around 1500 street children, orphans and differently abled young people from local communities and schools participated in 2017. Their works culminated in stunning celebratory carnival parades and shows in the centre of Ahmedabad.

ARIEL FROM UNDERLAND

A silent movie/ live performance (40 minutes), Mosaik theatre 2016
Directing, film and editing: Tina Johnsson
Story and actors: Sofia Wittmark, Pablo De Acha, Göran Utas, Mir Serrander and Nicole Drougett Gamboa.

Ariel from Underland was a product of the Ego-lab project at Mosaik theatre (2015). The characters was created by the actors individually, merged into a collective storyline and performance. It became our own adaptation of “The little mermaid”. The show is a silent movie/ interactive live performance with projected videoart. Ariel from Underland premiered at Mosaik theatre in 2016.

Performed at Telefonfabriken (Mosaik theatre, Stockholm), Pikpa refugee camp (Lesbos), Symbiosis festival x 3 (Lesbos), Skarpnäck culture house (Stockholm). Trailer performances filmed at Pikpa refugee camp and at Symbiosis festival in Lesbos 2016 by Elias Lindén.

ARIEL ON LESBOS & FREEDOM CARNIVAL

Summer of 2016 we were invited to perform “Ariel from Underland” at Symbiosis festival on the island Lesbos, Greece. We performed at Mytilini cultural centre, in Plomari and at Pikpa refugee camp, a family camp where we also held dance and art workshops for the “Freedom carnival.”

I also co-programmed the Freedom carnival and art workshops for children at refugee camps around Lesbos. A collaboration with Trans-form projects (UK), “Inuti” (Stockholm), “Children with kites” (Stockholm) and Mosaik theatre. With artist from Sweden, UK and Brazil, with and without mental disabilities.

 

 

EGO-LAB (EGOLABB)

An exploration and exhibition of dreams and alter-egos
Art- & drama pedagogy at Mosaikteatern (Mosaik theatre) 2015
Videoart & directing: Tina Johnsson

Ego-lab was a collaboratory cross-art exploration of alter-egos at the Mosaik theatre in 2015. The idea with ego-lab was for the actors to explore their dream alter egos starting with fine arts, before moving on to physical adaptation. The participants decorated our premises with murals, pictures and scenography. Then we moved on to physical adaptation where the actors portrayed their alter-egos in silent film-performances. Göran Utas (actor) chose his own visuals for an interactive performance with projections.

At the exhibition, Pablo de Acha played the piano live (improvisation) to the silent films. The ego-lab process set the base for the following project: A silent movie/interactive play; “Ariel from Underland” (2016).