Performed by Julia Kisel and directed by Aljoscha at the State Circus of Odessa, Ukraine.
Elflike clowness Julia Kisel slowly glides in the ice-covered arena of Odessa circus. With each move, she tears and peels off her reddish-pink artificial skin, revealing fragility underneath — another identity. Pink pieces of bioism skin flutter from her hands to the ice of the arena, where a laser-illuminated number 6 glows strangely.
The number 6 is a question.
6 what of what?
The duration of suffering through the war for innocent people, animals, and plants remains unknown.
The Kisel’s peelings scratching deep into the psyche: how significantly does our identity transform amid such tragedies? Is there an everlasting identity sometimes described as a soul, or is it transient, ever-changing like her silicone-oil peels? Can humanity find to its core ontological essence amid the waves of self-induced chaos?
Her movements become more frantic as she strips away her layers, each piece symbolizing the shedding of past selves, lost in turmoil. The peeling reflects the psychological trauma and existential crises faced during war, questioning the very essence of unacceptable.
As she continues, her desperation mounts. The center’s glowing 6 burns, underscoring the uncertainty and prolongation of agony. Her final scream pierces the frozen air, a manifestation of collective anguish and ongoing pain. She leaves the ice field, abandoned pieces of her artificial skin marking a trail of erased, fragmented selves.
How long will the war in Ukraine persist?
Six years?
Six months more?
How much longer can the world endure such suffering?
Do we truly understand the depth of change in our identities during these tragedies?
Who will we be, when our layers stripped away?
