Performance: Amsterdam, Mediamatic Post CS – 12 comments
Russian Roulette
Speed dating Gastarbeider Style
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2
Feb
2008
20:00 Mediamatic Post CS, Oosterdokskade 5, Amsterdam (view on map)By
Beautiful Russian ladies couldn't wait to meet you.
It was a great party with DJ Goldfinger and the Moscow Disco and ten Russian women from Amsterdam to date with.
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Russian brides at Mediamatic -
At Russian Roulette
During this evening 10 beautiful Russian women sat behind a long table, and had the luxury of some champagne to sip.
All participants were given the opportunity to pick any lady they wanted, and very soon after the start of the evening there was a huge line of men anticipating the virtues of speed dating.
After a short while the ladies themselves were given the choice to hold up the stop sign, which meant that the men would have to leave and find another pretty Russian woman.
With pick up lines like: "so what kind of beer do you like" and some good old fashioned cards playing we came to the conclusion that some men, not all, needed to step up their dating skills. Hence, later on in the evening there was a fantastic after party with dj Goldfinger!
russian brides at Mediamatic -At Russian Roulette
Vodka & Girls
In the 1990's, Russia's best-selling export products were vodka and girls.
Major economic and political disasters of the so-called transition period, low life expectancy among men and change of roles in the society made a lot Russian women search for a better life abroad. International marriage and job agencies functioned like Internet shops, selling women just as easy as cars or beautiful pieces of furniture. Those were wild years, marked by commodification of people and relationships, fear of mafia, and ghosts of the cold war. In the Western eyes, the Russian woman’s identity became reduced to that of a sex toy, a household slave, or a criminal adventurer.
russian brides at Mediamatic -At Russian Roulette
The legacy of this turbulent period in history still manifests itself in the ambiguous attitude towards Russian women in the so-called West. She is known as a beautiful, sexy girlfriend and a caring, non-demanding wife: the ideal every man would dream about. However, there is always something infernal about the Russian girl. She knows how to use the charms she possesses to get what she wants. She would break a poor Dutch man’s heart, take his money and soul and leave him with nothing after getting her staying permit.
russian brides at Mediamatic -At Russian Roulette
russian brides at Mediamatic -At Russian Roulette
All these stereotypes create a problem of self-representation for Russian women living abroad. They are often seen either as housewives- an extension to their Dutch partners, or as entertainers who add spice to the boredom of everyday life with their eccentric behaviour. Many women who want to be perceived as professionals prefer not to advertise themselves as Russian, in order to be taken seriously.
russian brides at Mediamatic -At Russian Roulette
This project explored the ambiguities of this position and exploits the existing stereotypes to the full extent.
Video report of the evening
12 comments
yes of course
i guess for you it might be even worse, because you are in this EU situation now, where "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"
west was the best now the east is most pleased
Well my Moldovian friend told me there is no possibility anymore for u to get into the EU without getting married to the right man (whom can support you) and learning dutch.
Are you ready for that?
I will follow her program with interest, also because I am not the type u ladys are looking for. (A artist- poor and a luftmensch)
But what about trying to atrack a EU male to live in Russia?
The west was the best-- the east is most pleased.
your MOLDOVIAN friend isn't right! We can be here without fucking marriage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...and by the way I know a dutch "artist" - his name is RON SLUIK, who's living in Chisinau, Moldova since 2001... attracted by a russian woman!!! :)) when I saw him the last time he was already speaking to me as a western colonialist .. :LOL:
exactly
i meet a lot of foreigners in russia every time i go back there: businessmen, artists, freaks...
they are looking for things this part of the world is too rational for.
and who told you rene that we are not looking for artists? at least with an artist you can have an interesting life.
come to see film "nederlands voor beginners" this sunday at 5, you'll see what a nightmare it can be to date a handsome suit with a company car;)
Ron
are you sure Ron was attracted by Russian woman?
Yes I'm sure.
If you could ever been there you would understand - thats only possible be attracted with.. Not because women there are special (just like everywhere), but because THERE ARE NO MONEY!
Money and Women?
I don't understand you Lucia, are western man atrackted to eastern women because they have no money? Or because they are different from western women?/ -- see the comment of Katja. Explain to me I am ignorant.
I can't be in Amsterdam this weekend-- we have the Rotterdam Filmfestival spin off in Groningen (this four days) . Including "Nothing personal" from Russia and "Magnus" from Estland and "Its hard to be nice"from Bosnia. So some inside information from the east will be transmitted to me. The times I was in the Ukraine-- twice-- I was, beside atrackted to the beautifull women, actually most of all atrackted to the history and the digestion of history in that country. Including the KUK time of the western part. (Lemberg- Lviv- Lvov) With its tension between the "Russsians" and the Ukrainians" I was looking in my own way to the places with the Everything is Illuminated contents. Unfortunatly I stranded in Kiev with a broken car. Next time over Moldovia to Odessa, that beautifull place of the past. Inshallah!
what's attractive in the east?....
Eastern people are attracted to West in most of the cases because of money. I though, this is absolutely clear!
I meant, Rene, that love to a local woman is the only thing that could attract a man from a well-being country to stay for a longer period in such a country as Moldova is - with all its difficulties..
The "history and the digestion of history in that country" you could enjoy as well from distance, but never a woman :))
Sometimes...
stereotypes could be the starting of a conversation process, not just a closure. A way of exploring, and a shared one, because you have the two extremes of the conversation. The one who believes and the one who wants to telling you the truth about the subject. Moving and exploring the many way to develop this former extremely formalized situation, perhaps you could work out many different and unexpected outcomes...perhaps and is not guranteed. That's the extraordinary meaning of an encounter. Tourism works in the same way. You need a cliche, (although a very personal and cared one) to start a journey. Then the journey will think about you and your cliches....
I made an experiment on flickr, some months ago using images of russian women as iconic targets for the western mind. Take a look if you want, The trick is quite easy. The texts are taken from robot written or translators agencies letters developed in the scamming industry.
I would love to be at this venue! Very good idea.
Sometimes...
stereotypes could be the starting of a conversation process, not just a closure. A way of exploring, and a shared one, because you have the two extremes of the conversation. The one who believes and the one who wants to telling you the truth about the subject. Moving and exploring the many way to develop this former extremely formalized situation, perhaps you could work out many different and unexpected outcomes...perhaps and is not guranteed. That's the extraordinary meaning of an encounter. Tourism works in the same way. You need a cliche, (although a very personal and cared one) to start a journey. Then the journey will think about you and your cliches....
I made an experiment on flickr, some months ago using images of russian women as iconic targets for the western mind. Take a look if you want, The trick is quite easy. The texts are taken from robot written or translators agencies letters developed in the scamming industry.
www.flickr.com/photos/altomodernista/
Anyway, I would love to be at this venue! Very nice project. Congrats!
russian, ukrainian, slovakian, polish, etc.
i think the problem is more compelx. and this stereotype not only concerns women from russia but also from all other (so called) easter european countries.
guess how do i know that? ;-)