A little bit like the soul

2023
Film / sculpture
18 minutes
wood, aluminum
Air351, Cascais & Hotel Maria Kapel, Hoorn

In ‘A little bit like the soul’ four queer performers jointly care for a sculptural object. The group lived together for a week, exploring what forms this caring relationship could take. The project explores how objects can make abstract social and political concepts tangible: even though the sculpture itself is inanimate. How we interact with it, interpret it and attach meaning to it, can turn objects into a catalyst for human interaction and dialogue. The film aims to provoke thoughts on queer intimacy and rethink the social norms surrounding notions of care in general.

Director, sculptor: Sijben Rosa

Director of photography: Aline Belfort

Performers (in order of appearance): Bárbara Cordeiro, Andrei Bessa, Michael Vanblarcum, Roberto Dagô

Editing: Aline Belfort, Sijben Rosa

Music: Willem Wits

Sound design: Jaap W. Sijben

Graphic design: Boetie Zijlstra

Intern: Yara Buttner

With special thanks to: Annelien de Bruin, Arda van Tiggelen, Bruno Levorin, Carmo Gê Pereira, Cátia Ramos, Heitor Fonseca, Inez Piso, Jan Sijben, Jantien Koenders, Jean Lesca, Katinka Wissing, Klankbeeld, Lorenzo Schmidt, Luísa Especial, Marianne Reij, Matúš Pisarčík, Parque ORBITUR Guicho, Richelle van Loon, Rik Dijkhuizen, Rodrigo Delgado, Rosa de Graaf, Wicce Pennekamp, Simon van der Weele

Financial support:

Made possible by:

In ‘A little bit like the soul’ four queer performers jointly care for a sculptural object. The group lived together for a week, exploring what forms this caring relationship could take. The project explores how objects can make abstract social and political concepts tangible: even though the sculpture itself is inanimate. How we interact with it, interpret it and attach meaning to it, can turn objects into a catalyst for human interaction and dialogue. The film aims to provoke thoughts on queer intimacy and rethink the social norms surrounding notions of care in general.

Director, sculptor: Sijben Rosa

Director of photography: Aline Belfort

Performers (in order of appearance): Bárbara Cordeiro, Andrei Bessa, Michael Vanblarcum, Roberto Dagô

Editing: Aline Belfort, Sijben Rosa

Music: Willem Wits

Sound design: Jaap W. Sijben

Graphic design: Boetie Zijlstra

Intern: Yara Buttner

With special thanks to: Annelien de Bruin, Arda van Tiggelen, Bruno Levorin, Carmo Gê Pereira, Cátia Ramos, Heitor Fonseca, Inez Piso, Jan Sijben, Jantien Koenders, Jean Lesca, Katinka Wissing, Klankbeeld, Lorenzo Schmidt, Luísa Especial, Marianne Reij, Matúš Pisarčík, Parque ORBITUR Guicho, Richelle van Loon, Rik Dijkhuizen, Rodrigo Delgado, Rosa de Graaf, Wicce Pennekamp, Simon van der Weele

Financial support:

Made possible by:

Tender Grapple

2022
Sculptureperfomance
3 months
LIMBO, Lisbon
Curated by Taffimai

In the art installation Tender Grapple a selection of sculptures from earlier works by Sijben could be observed through a shop window, but the audience also got to see them with their hands. During shopping hours, you could enter the plant store, stick your hands through two holes in the backside of the window installation and feel for yourself. The holes didn’t allow you to see the sculptures while you touch them, forcing you to focus solely on the tactility. For the audience standing outside your hands became performers, and your exploration a choreography. 

The installation was on show from 25 November 2022 until 25 February 2023 at Limbo plants- and ceramics store in Lisbon, curated by Taffimai.

In the art installation Tender Grapple a selection of sculptures from earlier works by Sijben could be observed through a shop window, but the audience also got to see them with their hands. During shopping hours, you could enter the plant store, stick your hands through two holes in the backside of the window installation and feel for yourself. The holes didn’t allow you to see the sculptures while you touch them, forcing you to focus solely on the tactility. For the audience standing outside your hands became performers, and your exploration a choreography. 

The installation was on show from 25 November 2022 until 25 February 2023 at Limbo plants- and ceramics store in Lisbon, curated by Taffimai.