Patchwork Girl is a poignant and heartfelt lecture performance about sexting, online exposure, slut-shaming and owning your sexuality. Using the internet that victimized them, women who have experienced online shaming over private, intimate content that was illegally shared reclaim and rewrite their narrative. In a multidisciplinary display of autobiographical material, performance and AI art, both the possibilities and the lack of ethics of the online world become crystal clear.
Take back what’s yours
Jantine was 16 when nude content of her was posted online. Cyrina was 13 when an intimate video of her was spread on the internet. Both girls were slut-shamed.
Patchwork Girl reconstructed Jantine’s past, using the internet that victimized her. Along with five teenage girls, she re-enacted and rewrote her story through AI. Cyrina spoke via voiceover. The avatar Patchwork Girl was made: a naked girl that initially attracts attention in private messaging groups and on pornography sites. Eventually, she would speak up.
Patchwork Girl, photo: Sanne Peper
Patchwork Girl, photo: Sanne Peper
Patchwork Girl, photo: Sanne Peper
The artists wanted her to go viral, but laws protected AI better than real women and the private messaging groups left Telegram for darker platforms. As women, they were lost in a man’s world. Their response was sisterhood. At the end of the performance, the girls shielded Jantine from view while she took a new nude image. On screen, the avatar—covered with photographs of the audience’s skin—speaks out: “She is all of us. She is carried by all of us”.
Bios
-
Photo: Sanne Peper, Hilde HarshagenPaulien Geerlings, Jantine Jongebloed, Eva Knibbe, Noelía Martin-Montalvo, Nina van Tongeren
NL/ES
Paulien is head dramaturge at de Toneelmakerij and ETC board member. She is writing a play for the stage.
Jantine is a writer and journalist. Her literary debut was published last year. Her essay inspired Patchwork Girl.
Eva is an allround artist. Her installation Untitled, showcases the history and future of Down syndrome.
Noelía studied Interdisciplinary Arts. She uses media like film, photography and AI.
Nina is a playwright and dramaturge at de Toneelmakerij. She writes activist plays for all ages.
de Toneelmakerij
De Toneelmakerij makes cutting-edge shows for young audiences. Based in Amsterdam and with (inter)national reach, we tell polyphonic stories to the heartbeat of the city. We were part of European projects such as the awarded Young Europe 4 and ACuTe. Our production Rabbit Hole, created within the framework of ACuTe, received a Zilveren Krekel award for best concept and use of new tech.
Credits
Patchwork Girl is produced by theatre company de Toneelmakerij
Concept: Paulien Geerlings, Eva Knibbe
Idea & Direction: Eva Knibbe
Story: Jantine Jongebloed
Creation and Text: Paulien Geerlings, Jantine Jongebloed, Eva Knibbe, Nina van Tongeren
AI artist: Noelía Martin-Montalvo,
Performers: Anna Antonoglou, Silke Ensel, Chiara Fleischmann, Jantine Jongebloed, Noelía Martin-Montalvo, Amber Schouten, Nora Smidt
With special thanks to: Cyrina, Waag Future Lab and Iris Keuven
Theatre Company de Toneelmakerij is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Culture and by the City of Amsterdam.