27.10.2024
Doors open 15:30
Event starts 16:00
The Hang-out 070, The Hague
More info HERE
Reserve Tickets HERE or email bartalk.dh@gmail.com

Yun Lee and Marcelo Daza will be performing “Masked Rituals” as part of MASC™, an evening of performances and discussions on (trans)masculinity.

About MASC™

Performances by Rah Naqvi, Yun Lee & Marcelo Daza
Hosted and moderated by Rafik Opti
Presented by BARTALK

When we talk about gender in art or academic spaces, there is plenty of depth in discourse on feminism, womanhood, on trans* and more fluid experiences. However, when it comes to talking about men or masculinity, it is rare that discussions dive deeper than criticisms of male privilege , fragility and toxic masculinity. Through this event, I want to stimulate discussions particularly within queer and trans communities on the nuances of what masculinity can mean to us. What flavours of masculinity hurt all of us? Which parts seduce us? Where is there space for tenderness, eroticism, fraternity, boyish innocence, joy? What is masculinity actually?

This program aims to look at all these questions through two performances “Soft Touch Men” by Naqvi, and “Masked Rituals” by Yun Lee & Marcelo Daza. Each of these performances has an installation or photography element which will stay in the space for a week. These performances will also be accompanied by guided discussions amongst the audience and the performers moderated by Rafik Opti.

About Masked Rituals

In “Masked Rituals” two fighters (Marcelo Daza and Yun Lee) engage in drills and rituals of protection before facing off in a fight to exhaustion. The performance exploits elements of boxing such as drills, ring walks and stare downs to explore spectrums of masculinity and the homoerotic tension that exist within the sport. 

Through this, the fighters navigate the lines between attraction and repulsion, intimacy and violence. 

The fight is accompanied by an increasingly surreal commentary which gradually shifts from narration to generated text on capitalist masculinity, eventually melting into a cinematic soundtrack as the fighters begin to collapse. In essence, “Masked Rituals” is a fight for and against masculinity.