#1) bi!martha vibes..........?

[brilliantfantasticgeronimo]

(pondering my orb)

[tigertaurus22]

Just finished watching the third special for Doctor Who 60th Anniversary, and I have to say I absolutely loved it. It really felt like the Doctor who I know and love. Thank you RTD!

Definitely a step up in writing quality from the previous series.

I genuinely like the 15th doctor, I think he’s going to do great. His TARDIS has a fun 70s vibe to it.

Just a couple things:

1. He said the bi-generation thing was supposed to be a myth. And then Kate said something about locking the Toymaker’s box in salt? I think invoking a myth at the Edge of the Universe did more than we think it did.

2. The Master is now a golden tooth. The part where it got picked up invokes the scene where his golden ring got picked up by somebody. Does this mean we get another Master in the future?

3. Certain parts of when they were in the Toymaker’s dimension was nightmare fuel. I mean, that bit with the Stookies was just… *shiver*

4. I like that they referenced previous companions. Surprised there wasn’t a Weeping Angel puppet.

5. I would absolutely LOVE to see a spin-off series akin to Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood, but with 14 and Donna working at UNIT, and potentially getting cameos of other companions. I’d love to see Martha again. She supposedly still works at UNIT, right?

Maybe they could bring 14 to the Companion Support Group sometime.

[witchofthemidlands]

Thanks to a ✨depression haze✨ taking its sweet time to vamoosh from my mind i am only now able to form words about the Doctor Who trailer.

Fifteen has been in the grand total of the last quarter of The Giggle, The Church On Ruby Road & (2) trailers & he’s my second favourite Doctor of all time. I. Love. This. Version. Abolish UNIT's flooring king & leave the bill for your younger self <3 Every time I think of Fifteen, I think back to 2021 where me & my housemate were standing in the kitchen saying based on our mutual love for Eric Effiong that Ncuti Gatwa would be a good Doctor Who.

THE MUSIC 🎵 CHANGES🎵 honestly I went feral as soon as it started playing. For YEARS I have associated different Bowie songs with Twelve, Bill Potts & Danny Pink so I was screeching like a person deranged.

Will say though considering The Goblin Song, the musical notes around Ruby & the trip to The Beatles I wonder if music will play a core theme in this season? Little things like words on posters & names said aloud throughout the first RTD era turned out to be vital elements so I’m wondering if we’ll get something similar like that again.

VERY happy to see Cherry & Carla back. I always thought they would be seeing as RTD clearly loves his companions to have families & love that he’s returned to writing about & showing the importance of found/adoptive families like he did for The Sarah Jane Adventures 😊 did not get great vibes from the “I’m still her mum, I need to know she’ll be ok.” Line & the promise but again it’s RTD’s writing, he made it seem like Rose & Donna would be dead within their respective seasons & both of them are thriving with their respective versions of the Doctor.

THE SHOT OF HOLOGRAM!TEN/METATEN/FOURTEEN/FOURTENTH?!? love them, love him LOVE THEM but I hope it's just an image or someone flickering through & showing Fifteen pictures of his past selves like they’ve done in The Eleventh Hour, Nightmare In Silver, Twice Upon A Time, The Timeless Children etc & not a “Fifteen & Fourteen work on a UNIT mission together via holograms.” To me at least, it seems a little too soon to do another multi Doctor story especially when it’s only Fifteen’s first season.

THE CALLBACK TO MARTHA JONES & BILL POTTS WORRYING ABOUT STEPPING ON THE BUTTERFLY 😂🤩😂 me & my mum laughed so hard at this but at the same time, it’s adding to my theory that “doing the salt” at the edge of the universe IS responsible for myths/legends/theories actually happening in the Whoniverse now like the salt, the bi-regeneration, The Goblin King because in the song there’s a line that gave me this theory the “he’s not a myth, he’s an actual thing.” This will definitely be me reading too much into it but that’s just the conclusion I’ve come to.

I saw Indira Varma in (1) frame 😳 I had IMMEDIATE ✨gay thoughts✨ she is so beautiful 😍 BUT she started turning into a creature & I am not & never shall be a monsterfucker (even though admittedly the carrionites had me questioning things) but it will be a TEST OF STRENGTH.

There was what looked to be a flesh bowl & I immediately thought of The Gangers & seeing as Moffat’s emerging perhaps they’re making their return. After what happened with Bill Potts, Danny Pink & certain favourite characters of mine from my second favourite book in the entire world back in 2020 I am on the ✨fence✨ about The Return Of Moffat but he is ultimately incredible at writing a good horror story so if he does another one episode horror that’ll traumatise me for life & after, fair enough.

The alienvenom being in the corridor near made me yeet behind my sofa so I’m looking forward to seeing that story.

I’ve seen horror films I’ve gone through an ACTUAL HAUNTING & still nothing prepared me from how i nearly expired when i realised that THERE'S SOMETHING STANDING IN THE BACKGROUND IN TWO RUBY SCENES 😨

I’m gonna talk about ✨the scream✨ @ the Ruby of it all in another couple of posts.

Saw the Tardis console sparking: immediately wondered if there was any left over coffee in there 😅

I AM GOING TO LOSE IT WHEN I SEE ROSE NOBLE AGAIN 🥹 MY BEST GIRL IS COMING BACK 🥹 Lovely to see Mel! Hope this means more Classic Who companions will return at some stage (for the sake of how funny it would be unleash a NewNewWho Doctor on Jamie McCrimmon whilst the actor is still alive & willing to be part of the Whoniverse)

Fifteen saluting in his regency outfit (In the realm of fanfic in my head I am imagining Captain Jack Harkness being on the receiving end of that salute) but maybe it’ll be Jonathan Groffs new character? Whoever they are I hope him & The Doctor have enough gay activity between them that’ll make my family members who don’t like Fifteen when they “come across as gay” uncomfortable <3

The weathered Tardis near the sea reminds me of The Ghost Monument. I hope they make a figure/pop of the weathered Tardis, I need it for my collection 😅 I hope we get a The Ghost Monument mention just to annoy my family who still actively talk about how much they disliked 13’s era.

I am going to go a new level of feral in May, Fifteen ily so much 🥹

[hellaephemeral]

ten :)

omg hiii!! <333

1: sexuality headcanon

i hc all doctors to be queer in some way and ten to me is giving bi vibes <33

2: otp

roseten <3 i just??? they make me so sad and so happy and they’re so tragic 😭😭😭

3: brotp

donna and ten <3 i just love them sm <3 they’re iconic and bESTIES FOREVER! 😭😭

4: notp

i don’t really have a notp for ten i think?? other than maybe donna?? and him?? like romantically? because i just think of them as besties! i actually love it that donna is one of the few companions without any romantical tension between her and the doctor at any point (also kind of martha and ten just because i think martha deserves better than him!!)

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

i think ten wears mismatched socks hahahaha. like i am not even sure if that’s even a hc because it might just be mentioned somewhere because of how right this sounds to me??

6: favorite line from this character

omggg??? there are so many ten quotes?? that i adore?? but one of my fave quotes is definitely "if I believe in one thing, just one thing, I believe in her!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character

we both only wear converse hahahha (i might have picked that up from him though tbh) and my overuse of “wellll”??? other than that?? idkk 😔😔 we both love his friends?? shsbshsh

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

ufff???? mhhh?? some of the stuff he said to martha made me cringe. but i don’t remember ten giving me much second hand embarrassment <3

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

hshshsh ten is definitely a problematic fave like most other doctors. this man is so unwell??? someone put him in therapy 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 it’s okay tho because i love him <333

[maddmuses]

Ship Wish List

(Not all Romantic, specifying when a dynamic I want isn’t)

Conner Kent -Young Justice Members (Friendship) -M’gann M’orzz -Cassandra Cain -Cassie Sandsmark -Teen Heroes in general to relate to -Clark Kent (My boy needs his father blz) -Lois Lane (he needs a mom in his life too) -Basically any Kent (family vibes, and to meet his daughter)

Martha Kent -Other kids of JL members (Just connections bls) -Witchy vibe gfs would be great in general please she is known magic strong-girl -Pretty much same on Superfam and Kentfam as Conner

Caroline Kent -Other next-gen Teen Titans plz (all kinds) -Pretty much same on Superfam and Kentfam as Conner

Cassandra Cain -Other Batfam Sibs (Family, please she needs these) -Bruce (Give this girl her dad dammit!!) -Conner Kent (#1 Boyfriend tbh) -Stephanie Brown -Rose Wilson (-confused bi noises-)

Peter Parker -Other Spider Folxs (Spider-Verse what what?) -MJ Watson -Felicia Hardy -Cindy Moon -Gwen Stacy -Kitty Pryde -Mayday Parker (I need him to be a dad or meet an alt-timeline version of the daughter he could have someday) -X-Men (I like this in general, I definitely like the idea of him being connected to other ostracized superhumans in general)

Rachel Summers -ATTENTION ALL MUTANTS (Here she is, right there) -Kitty Pryde -Mayday Parker (future timeline gfs ftw :3) -Laura Kinney  -Logan (I need surrogate dad vibes, lbr her current dad leaves things to be desired)

Gwenpool -If it’s chaotic I’d love to have it

Ty Lee -Fuck me up w/ your ATLA muses (Ty Lee needs interacts) -Also Azula ofc :3

Mina Ashido -Ochako Uraraka -Nejire Hado -Momo Yaoyorozu -Honestly I just want her to interact w/ other hero muses in general (Var.) -Could give her some adversaries in the form of villains too tho (Var.)

Isane Kotetsu -Kiyone Kotetsu (She needs to interact with her little sister!!!) -Other 4th Division Members -Rangiku (”>////////////////<” -- Isane Kotetsu (19XX-20XX)

Rukia Kuchiki -Ichigo Kurosaki (A variety of dynamics are desired but romantic too yes) -Renji (Frenemies but actually Frenemies) -Byakuya (She requires her older brother) -Orihime (Besties but also gfs???? 👀👀👀👀) -Tatsuki -Ask me about my Rukia ship tier list it’s p good -Gotei 13 (What if The Office, but it’s samurai ghosts????) -Her gf from when she was in the Shinigami academy

Byakuya Kuchiki -Same as Rukia reg. Gotei 13 (Just need coworkers tbh) -Renji (Obviously he needs his main subordinate to bully) -Kenpachi (Battle Boyfriends???? 👀👀👀) -Same as Rukia I have a ship tier list ask about it

Isshin Shiba-Kurosaki -Masaki Kurosaki -Basically any Kurosaki he needs his kids lbr -People he knew early in his time in the living world -Various Bleach muses for various reasons

Goku -Chi-Chi >:3 -His kids kindly (My Goku is still not best dad but he’s peak Goku-style dad) -ppl to fight???? -Also his besties/squad

Goba -Other Son family members -also ppl to fight -Time Patrollers to train with -also ppl to date -Hot Saiyan Girls™ 👀👀👀👀 Mun: *slaps Goba’s hands* OFF MY COMPUTER BRAT!!

Broly -Look I’m not picky here???? -Raditz might be nice -So would Cheelai tho

Itachi Uchiha (My main verse is him as Hokage) -Basically anyone from konoha should get to interact with this delight -Sasuke (he needs to make sure his brother doesn’t turn to the dark side) -Akatsuki members fs -idk about romantic ships but I’m down to clown -other Kage

Sakura Haruno -Naruto Uzumaki (besties) -Ino (😳) -Hinata -Karin -Temari -Tenten

Yuharu Kaiba -Honestly she’d love to interact with almost anyone from DM or GX, possibly even 5Ds

Toru Caushan -The Strawhats (though lbr they aren’t a crew he goes after hardcore) -Nami (I miss the old ship w/ him and missvvave but definitely open to exploring it w/ other Namis) -Kaido -other Mythical Zoan users -Any other Marine canons or OCs

Korosensei -Just give this man students plz? -Superman (I think they’d be wholesome) -Aguri Yukimura

Donovan Greyback -Lily Potter II (They’re besties your honor) -Era-dependent but honestly Donovan would love to interact w/ anyone

Hermione Granger -Other Golden Trio and GT-era Hogwarts characters -Ministry of Magic characters -Luna Lovegood (<3)

Sora -I picked him because he can interact w/ literally any verse -Could definitely go for other Destiny Island and FF chara tho

Roxas -Axel (Besties) -Xion (Also Besties) -Org XIII muses and just generally other Nobodies -Other Keybladers tbh

Vanitas -Just anyone for him to torment tbh -Wayfinder Trio -Other Villains -Disney characters who can possibly redeem him (🥺🥺🥺🥺)

Zack -Aerith -Cloud -Angeal (mentor pls) -Tifa -Basically any party member or SHINRA character

Cloud -Honestly I would like more variety but also will never say no to a Tifa or Aerith ship -Just like all kinds of ppl please

Tifa -Aerith -But also just give her gfs -Clouds are also likely ye from me -Patrons of her bar

Dante -Lady -Trish (But like, they’re brother-sister vibes) -Vergil (let him annoy his big bro) -Nero (also let him annoy his baby nephew) -Like just let me throw Dante at you

Ahri -She needs victims -Sona (Romantic/Seggsual) -Sett (Romantic) -Akali (Romantic/Seggsual/Bandmate) -Evelynn (Romantic/Seggsual/Bandmate) -Kai’Sa (Romantic/Seggsual/Bandmate) -Seraphine (Romantic/Seggsual/Bandmate) -Lilian (Prey/Romantic/Seggsual) -Neeko (Prey/Romantic) -Wukong (Prey/Playmate/Bestie/Seggsual) -Irelia (Rival/Enemy/Prey/Seggsual/Romantic) -Xayah (Rival/Romantic/Seggsual/Throuple) -Rakan (Seggsual/Teasing/Throuple) -Kayn (Romantic/Pining) -Teemo (Victim) -Gwen (Romantic) -Viego (Hateship/Complicated/Pining) -Miss Fortune (Seggsual/FWB/Romantic) -Fiora (Fling/Hateship) -Garen (Hateship) -Lux (Rival/Romantic/Seggsual) -Ashe (Rival/Romantic/Seggsual) -Nidalee (Honestly sorta OTP) -Katarina (Hot/Hateship/RWB) -LeBlanc (Hot/Seggsual) -Riven (Rivals/RWB/Romantic) -Rell (RWB/Romantic/Seggsual) -Samira (Hot/RWB) -Taliyah (Rivals/Playful Rivals/Romantic) -Sivir (Romantic/Tension/Seggsual) -Renta (Enemies/Hot/EWB) -Zeri (Rivals/RWB)

Settrigh -Hey, does anyone want to work for a criminal? -Also could use interacts w/ his mum because he loves his mum

Luffy -Nakama (for crew-related reasons) -ShiraCrybabyhoshi (for shipping reasons)

Nami -Luffy (Her Ride and Die) -Usopp (Her Ride but not Die) -Zoro (lbr frenemies) -Sanji (GBFF) -Hina (Hot Marine GF) -Tashigi (Hot Marine GF The Sequel) -Just Hot Marines of both genders to date tbh -Boa Hancock (”Could be us baby”/Ship)

Ty Lee -Azula (Her First Love)(Toxic) -Suki (Her Second Love)(Wholesome) -Sokka (If I Had To Pick A Dude) -Mai (Eagle 2)

[thewhovianperson]

It's round six of my doctor who companions with each doctor series, which means we have Ben and Polly, another couple that I absolutely refuse to separate. So without further ado, let's get down to business to defeat... The Faceless Ones?

1: Ben and Polly would have pretty much the same reaction to One as Ian and Barbara did, that is to say bemusement crossed with slight horror occasionally. However as they'd click with Susan I think One would be more amicable to them. Standout story for Ben would be The Reign of Terror, and Polly would be brilliant in Planet of the Giants, purely for her resourcefulness.

2: Hot take but we needed more stories with Ben, Polly, and Jamie because this TARDIS Team had some class A antics. Also they deserve a better goodbye than the one they got (even if The Faceless Ones is an absolute banger). I'd love to see them with later 2, where his mysterious side comes out, and I think the Land of Fiction would be an interesting time for them.

3: Three, Ben and Polly would make strange bedfellows, but I think it could work sometimes. Polly would probably find Three exasperating at times, but Ben would fit right in with the UNIT family, and I think that both would have major respect for Three after their reaction to The Silurians.

4: This would essentially be Two, Ben, and Polly dialed up to eleven (and I don't mean the Doctor's incarnation, okay yes, that too, but one doctor at a time). Honestly this grouping would be pretty cool, and the crazy vibe would be off the charts. Polly would 100% build a crazy weedkiller that saved the world in The Seeds of Doom.

5: Young, (probably) gay (I headcanon Ben as bi and Polly as an ally), but with them on board, the team size would be way too high. They'd get swallowed in the mix, and Polly and Tegan would definitely clash.

6: They would be upset by Sixes arrogance, as they'd have largely avoided 1's, this would be their first pairing with an incredibly arrogant doctor. However as Six mellowed out they'd enjoy their trips and definitely establish a strong rapport together.

7: As soon as Seven put one of them in danger the other would slap the shit out of them. That being said you can't tell me that Ben and Polly wouldn't cause an equal amount of devastation to the Daleks as Ace did in Remembrance. Honestly I'd love to see a "what if" style episode with them in there.

8: "Ben and Polly travel the universe with a romantic queer who teaches them about the beauty of the stars" is a premise I can 100% get behind.

War: I feel like in the early stages of The Time War this duo would do well because of their resourcefulness and ability to work well under duress. They'd definitely help War with some of the more difficult aspects of the Time War, but they're only human. I can't see them surviving after the big players actually pulled out the meaningful weapons.

9: Ben is a post war sailor, who probably fought in Korea, and 100% knows about trauma from battles. Imagine if you would, a scenario in which the Autons are in 1966, and 9 meets these two flatting together. Polly would pull some gymnastics movements out of nowhere, antiplastic would be spilt, and then Ben would offer Nine the journey of a lifetime... to a therapist's office.

10: This has the same vibe as 10 had with Martha and Donna in my head, so essentially fuck yes this would work.

11: Matt literally modelled his character after 2's, and considering they went so well together this grouping would too. 11 occasionally gets a little darker than 2 did when they were with them, but I think they'd vibe for the most part. If they can deal with hypnoBen and giant sentient crabs, they can deal with Slenderman and co.

12: If you can survive 1 you can survive 12 (unless you're Bill), so 12's grumpiness wouldn't hurt them too much. Assuming they were with the end of 11's tenure too, I think that having the Paternoster Gang to help them through the change would be good too. They might clash over Ben's occupation a little bit though.

13: Thirteen seems to need an emotional support family, so hell yeah these two would do well. I would also love the implication that they're technically older than Graham but also younger, I can see that being the butt of one or three jokes between them. Honestly considering their age and time period, this group would be amazing.

Ruth: I've said it before on this post and I'll say it again: Ben and Polly are some of the most resourceful companions The Doctor has ever had. As long as they were alright with a Doc who essentially wakes up and seems to choose violence each morning, I think they'd do well.

[sendme-2hell]

Ranking the Hugo 2021 Nominations for Best Novel by How Gay They Are

I did this with the 2020 nominations because they were overwhelmingly sapphic, but now that I’ve read the 2021 nominations I think these are even more queer than 2020! The ratings are based on how queer they books are not how much I liked them.

6. The Relentless Moon - Mary Robinette Lowell

Rating: 4/10

Explanation: The way this author writes feels unbearably straight (and white) to me. She definitely makes an attempt to have a diverse cast of characters but is not very good at it so it ends up feeling more like a bunch of stereotypes than actually interesting characters. There is a sapphic relationship that is briefly hinted at in this book. A woman named Wafiyyah says she wants to use her one phone call (they are on the moon) to talk to her female lab partner. The main character speculates that she is probably in a relationship with this woman. Wafiyyah is mentioned a total of 12 times in the whole 500 page book and has about five lines of dialogue. But I won’t forget Wafiyyah and her lab partner. Giving points for her and then points for being on the moon because space is gay.

5. Piranesi - Susanna Clarke

Rating: 7/10

Explanation: Well, you can’t have a book about an academic cult without at least one of them being gay. This is a misleading description of what Piranesi is actually about, but idk...something about academia, people obsessed with the classics, greek aesthetics, and being gay. There is definitely homoerotic vibes going on through the whole book as well as mentions that that one character is, “picking up men,” and was “gay before it was legal,” and uh...maybe doing some other things. It’s unclear to me. 

*Okay to be honest the next three books on this list are all pretty equally queer. They all have multiple queer characters and are pretty diverse in other ways too. So I ranked them arbitrarily.

4. Network Effect - Martha Wells 

Rating: 8/10

Explanation: The thing that is great about the Murderbot books is that queerness is very normalized. There are multiple queer relationships that are just mentioned in passing, and if I remember correctly (all the murderbot books are one big book in my mind), there is a wlw couple that features prominently. There are also a few nonbinary characters including the main character. Polyamorous relationships as well. I would like to live in Preservation, please. 

3. The City We Became - N.K. Jemisin 

Rating: 8/10

Explanation: You know what I was saying about how Mary Robinette Lowell clearly tried to make The Relentless Moon diverse and didn't do it satisfactorily. Well, N.K. Jemisin said “hold my beer.” When writing characters meant to embody the boroughs of New York, she made sure that the people would all be different ethnicities, genders, and sexual identities. Since, ya know, New York is pretty diverse. She did an incredible job of writing maybe the most diverse book I have ever read (what does that say about me? What does that say about the publishing industry?). There are lots of queer characters in these books including gay, bi, lesbian, and trans characters. Although their identities are not central to the plot so far, I think that a mlm relationship will become very important in the later books in this series. Okay it’s not really fair to say they aren’t central to the plot since I’m sure they are part of her central metaphor or something. 

2. Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse

Rating: 8/10

Explanation: Like the two last books, Black Sun is diverse in many ways. Queerness is not quite normalized in the pre-columbian americas inspired fantasy world of Black Sun, since Xalia, the bisexual sea captain was sent to jail for sleeping with a woman. That being said, it seems that some cultures are cooler with it than others in this world, and non-binary and trans people are accepted. Queer relationships and identities are sprinkled throughout the book. Also this book is just great! I highly recommend it. Might be my favorite on this list were it not for my Locked Tomb brainrot. 

1. Harrow the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir 

Rating: 10/10

Explanation: Harrow the Ninth has many notable queer characters such as: the main character, the main character’s evil roommate, the main character’s dead ex-frenemy, a sword, a woman possessing another character (a few of these actually), God, and more! This is just a very queer book. It gave us classic lines such as, “gall on gal,” and “Ianthe had walked away from you, all split lips and gay loneliness” which was weirdly relatable. Plus I’m gonna say 1.5 gay sex scenes (argue with me about this). 

Other Notes (Continue reading for some random thoughts on these books, my actual ranking of them in terms of how much I like them, and a comparison of Griddlehark to Mahit/Three Seagrass): 

*I would say this is a better list than the 2020 nominations where there were a few books I straight up hated. I liked all of these books, even Relentless Moon.

*I would rank the books in terms of how much I liked them: Harrow the Ninth > Network Effect > Black Sun > Piranesi > The City We Became > The Relentless Moon 

*I think it’s funny that “Black Sun” and “The Relentless Moon” were both nominated. Sun vs moon. Don’t make them fight, they are dating! 

*The City We Became was great but the ending was umm...very abrupt...N.K. Jemisin wrote the Broken Earth Trilogy so she can do whatever she wants, but yeah I have to complain about the rushed ending. Black Sun also had an abrupt ending. I guess they are setting up for the sequels. Vs Relentless Moon, Network Effect, and HTN which are just building off of the other books in the series so they don’t have to do as much set up. Oh wait, Tamsyn Muir didn’t do that much worldbuilding in GTN and therefore made me sit through pages about the difference between thanergy and thalergy that made me feel like I was in 11th grade biology class trying to take notes.

*The television show, For All Mankind has a similar premise to The Relentless Moon but actually has a few queer characters including a woman I am in love with. Seriously, more people should watch that show! 

*HTN and Piranesi are both books where you have no idea what the fuck is going on in them for ½ of the book and even when you finish you are left with a lot of questions + they both have unreliable narrators

***spoilers for A Desolation Called Peace and Harrow the Ninth (and amce + gtn): 

When I ranked the 2020 Hugo nominations I ranked A Memory Called Empire above Gideon the Ninth because Mahit and Three Seagrass kissed and I was salty that Gideon and Harrow didn’t (ok they kindaa did. sue me). Anyway, in Desolation Called Peace Mahit and Three Seagrass actually had sex, so in that they are still beating griddlehark. Though to be fair, they never shared a body sooooo... Griddlehark is winning there. Thankfully I didn’t have to compare Teixcalaan and tlt in this list because I don’t know which I would choose this time.

[richasdigest]

INTO THE CURRENT

FRIEDERIKE HAUG und MARTHA HVIID

kuratiert von Nina Nowak, RICHAS DIGEST, 6. - 28. September 2019

 current

/ˈkʌr(ə)nt/

noun

plural noun: currents

               1. a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding

               body of water or air in which there is less movement."ocean currents"

 synonyms:           steady flow, stream, backdraught,  

                              slipstream; Moreairstream, thermal,

                              updraught, draught; undercurrent,

                              undertow, tide "a current of air"

                 2. a flow of electricity which results from the ordered directional movement of electrically

               charged particles."this completes the circuit so that a current flows to the lamp"

               a quantity representing the rate of flow of electric charge, usually measured in amperes."at

               high currents there is wasteful power dissipation"

                 3. the general tendency or course of events or opinion."the student movement formed a

               distinct current of protest"

 synonyms:           course, progress, progression, flow, tide, movement

                              More"the current of human life"trend, drift, direction,

                              tendency, swing, tenor "the current of opinion"

  Für die Ausstellung Into the Current bei Richas Digest im September 2019 habe ich die beiden Künstlerinnen Friederike Haug (Düsseldorf) und Martha Hviid (Kopenhagen) eingeladen, um einen speziellen Raum in Köln mit ihren eigenen Ansätzen und Ideen gemeinsam zu füllen.

Es ist die Begegnung von zwei Fremden, die eine entleerte Stadtarchitektur gemeinsam einnehmen werden, einen Raum, der selber eine Art Leerstelle in der städtischen Umgebung darstellt: Richas Digest ist in einer ehemaligen Parkwächterloge angesiedelt. Mit seinen wenigen Quadratmetern Grundfläche wirkt der eingeschossige Raum etwas verloren in der ihn umgebenden Betonwüste, die der umgebende Parkplatz ausmacht. Dieser wird ab und zu von ratlosen Autofahrern besucht, die den Automaten für die Parkgebühr suchen. Doch es gibt weder den Automaten mehr noch den Parkwächter, heute, im digitalen Zeitalter. Das Häuschen wirkt wie ein Artefakt aus einer anderen Zeit, einer vergangenen westdeutschen Realität der 50er bis 80er Jahre die überall in Köln auftaucht. In dieser Leere und Zeit arbeiten Friederike Haug und Martha Hviid ihre eigenen Strategien zur Überbrückung und Sinnfindung aus. Denn das ist, was in meinen Augen die künstlerischen Strategien beider auszeichnet: Die künstlerische Arbeit als eine akribische Suche, die die Wahrnehmung von Orten, Dingen und Akteuren in Frage stellt.

Friederike Haug beschreibt in ihren Arbeiten Momente und Situationen die zugespitzt verlaufen: SchauspielerInnen, SängerInnen und Pantomimen führen alltägliche Handlungen aus und doch wird die Wahrnehmung des Betrachters durch eben jene Künstlichkeit verzerrt. Ein doppelter Boden wird aufgebaut. Ist man wirklich hier? Was genau bedeutet das Spiel und inwiefern spielt hier wer wen? Welche Rolle ist die eigene, die des Betrachters?

Konstante Selbstreflexion des menschlichen Handelns ist auch Thema bei Martha Hviids Arbeiten. Es tauchen Zeichen, Symbole auf, die man zu erfassen scheint und die doch nicht ganz greifbar sind für den Außenstehenden. Abstrahierte Zeichnungen von Füßen, Händen und Wirbeln werden dazu mit alltäglichen Materialien kombiniert, die eine weitere Ebene aufmachen. Wir werden eingeladen in eine Welt der Haptik und Gerüche; Teppiche, Plexiglas, Beton sind mit einem zeichenhaften Alphabet beschrieben, dessen Sinn wir zwar erahnen aber nicht ganz greifen können.

 Schrift und Handlung füllen nun das verlassene Parkwächterhaus und den leeren Parkplatz. Für Into the Current haben Friederike Haug und Martha Hviid eigene Strategien entwickelt Ort und Ausstellung neu zu denken.

 Nina Nowak

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 English:

 For the show INTO THE CURRENT at Richas Digest in Cologne I have invited two artists Friederike Haug (Düsseldorf) and Martha Hviid (Copenhagen). In September 2019 they will collaborate for the exhibition Into the Current and fill this specific location with their own artistic ideas and strategies. This meeting of two strangers in a space which appears as a visual void in the public sphere: Richas Digest is based in a former parking guard’s booth and looks somehow to be lost within the context of Cologne’s 1950’s architecture and the concrete wasteland surrounding it. This place represents a very specific vibe of a Western German reality from the past; an atmosphere that is so typical for Cologne.

Friederike Haug and Martha Hviid enter this setting with their very own odd and sometimes humoresque activities in order to find strategies for the search of meaning and purpose. What brings their practices together is a meticulous, constant search that questions our perception of places and actions in daily life:

Friederike Haug describes in her performances moments of estrangement, sharpened up situations that leave the viewer with an uncanny feeling. Actors, singers and pantomimes perform daily routines and yet the artificiality of the act distorts the viewer’s perception. What is the sense of this act and who is playing whom?

Constant self-observation of our own human behavior is also one of the topics of Martha Hviid’s work. Martha’s pieces work on many different levels that all operate simultaneously with all of the senses: smell, and touch are mixed with sound and vision. The materials are mixed: fragile sensual clay works clash visually against concrete and find a soft place on the surface of a carpet. Through this well orchestrated concert of sensations one encounters signs and symbols that act like a sort of personal alphabet; trying to lead the way but remaining unreadable.

This is the moment where I believe the two practices fall into sync with one another. It is this specific guidance of the spectator that both artists also have in common, the game that both Martha Hviid and Friederike Haug play with their own virtuosity. Together they will enter a space, that is itself talking about the void. And fill it up with their own moments into the current. I imagine their strategies, both presented together within that setting, to operate as a transformation of it; lifting and shifting the ordinary perception of the parking booth onto a poetic level.

 Nina Nowak