becoming familiar with each other in Bujumbura

two strangers
embrace each other
on the street
in silence for a long while

katharinajej is white and a stranger in the city of Bujumbura, Burundi in Africa.
In the city center, she invites people she does not know to a long-lasting embrace. katharinajej lingers in silence in close physical contact with the body of her counterpart. Together they become a living sculpture in the busy city life. It is an attempt to connect despite all the differences in origin, history and perception. The encounters take place in front of passers-by.
A sign placed next to them provides background information.

The performances took place in October 2023, during a residency at Buja Sans Tabou, a space for art and theater in Bujumbura, Burundi.