She-Pigeon

Selin Davasse

A person perceived as female is sitting in a grey dress among several pigeons on a cobblestone square.

For the performance She-Pigeon, Selin Davasse transforms herself into a pesky pigeon, opening a space to contemplate the politics of dirt, disgust and exclusion.

Spätschicht – Live Programme at Gropius Bau is a monthly series of free events with an interdisciplinary programme ranging from talks, book discussions and film screenings to concerts and DJ sets. In addition to the performance , you can experience a reading by Andrew Durbin, a workshop by Queer Analog Darkroom and a short film by Gary Schneider, to which musician Biliana Voutchkova will respond with a live performance.

“She’s dirty. She’s grimy. She‘s the nature of the city. Ignored and unloved, she’s always hungry. Currently, she may be pretty low in the pecking order of species, but once upon a time she was no different than a white dove. Whiteness matters to humans, and it was humans who domesticated her. She’s feral. She‘s thriving. Humans hate her for not dying.

Libidinous leaky literature in vivid and vulgar vulviform verse rains down like pigeon droppings. You might feel slightly dirty after this performance. A pigeon could love you no matter how dirty. Do you think you could love her back?” — Selin Davasse

Selin Davasse speculates on the ethics of hospitality between a bestial feminine stranger, a heterogeneous public and the institutions framing their encounter. Embodying different narrative selves, she translates systems of thought into intimate and playful utterances that slip between speech and song, forming a porous and unstable relationship with the viewer.

During the event, photographs and video recordings may be made in which you may be recognisable. By attending, you consent to these recordings being used to communicate the event or exhibition.