Begin is a research, performance, and publishing project that focuses on the history of the Medieval beguine communities: a radical group of lay religious women which emerged throughout urban centers in the former Low Countries starting in the 12th century. The beguines originated a counter-monastic framework for Medieval women to live together, share and generate financial resources, write and publish books in the vernacular, and developed care, spiritual, and educational services for women and children.

At Klosterruine Berlin, the performance takes on an important beguine book written by Marguerite Porete entitled “The Mirror of the Simple Souls Who Are Annihilated and Remain Only in Will and Desire of Love”. Begin/Beguines [here love speaks] uses Porete’s controversial treatise as a guide to explore the movements of medieval mysticism, the embodied spiritual practice of radical love, self-annihilation, and resurrection. Cutting through the fabric of centuries, this work shapes the divestment of the soul or the graces of collectivity, incessantly ruminating the transformative capacities of feminization in desirous publicness.

The presentation at Klosterruine Berlin is a public opening onto this research, the performance will premiere in November 2024 at Next Festival in Valenciennes.

Funded by Stiftung Kunstfond.
With the support of Mondes Nouveaux and the French Ministry of Culture, La Briqueterie CDCN, Espace Pasolini, BUDA Kunstencentrum, Pavillion ADC, Next Festival, and VIERNULVIER.
Productional support of VIVANTO.