Framer Framed

20 Jun –
17 Aug 2025

THE TAIL by MAISON the FAUX

From 20 June to 17 August, MAISON the FAUX presents THE TAIL, a performance installation that draws on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid to explore themes of transformation, and the sacrifices that are made in pursuit of one’s true identity. The work is developed in close collaboration with artists Diamanda Dramm, Dae Uk Kim, Anto López Espinosa, Oriana Ikomo, Bien De Moor and Luthfi Darwis.

Who are we really? What distinguishes the real from the artificial? Are we ever truly ourselves, or are we constantly in flux, hiding behind masks and conventions? In THE TAIL, audiences are drawn into an emotional and sensory journey, as The Little Mermaid becomes a lens through which to view the quest for selfhood.

The performance installation seeks to reframe the mermaid as a symbol of queer identity and personal transformation. In a time of escalating hostility towards queer and trans communities globally – from anti-trans legislation to the rollback of healthcare, education and bodily autonomy – the mermaid’s journey feels strikingly relevant. THE TAIL responds to a political landscape in which people are still being asked to justify their identities, conform to imposed norms, or risk erasure. It reclaims the mermaid not as a fantasy of otherness, but a metaphor for self-determination.

A siren song guides visitors through the space, revealing the mermaid’s tale in fragments of song and installation. Under the musical direction of Diamanda Dramm, performers Bien de Moor, Anto López Espinosa, and Oriana Ikomo animate the anatomy of the mermaid, each embodying a different facet of the siren archetype.

Throughout the installation, the performers interact with sculptural objects created by visual artist Dae Uk Kim. Each object poses a question: When we change our bodies, our roles, our places in the world – is it an act of care or of pain? Is transformation a form of healing, or a kind of violence? This is echoed in videos by Luthfi Darwis, which follows a being navigating desire and survival within systems of control.

With THE TAIL, MAISON the FAUX continues its pursuit of a hyper-disciplinary practice. Creators Tessa de Boer and Joris Suk, the minds behind MAISON the FAUX, are deeply engaged with the tension between illusion and authenticity. Blending music, fashion, performance, scenography, video and visual art, their work challenges perceptions: What makes something genuine? When is the FAUX more real than the real?

THE TAIL begins with two live viewings at the Machinefabriek, home of NITE and Club Guy & Roni in Groningen, on 10 & 12 June, before traveling to Framer Framed in Amsterdam from 20 June to 17 August, including thirteen live performances.

Opening
Register here for the opening on 20 June from 18:00 to 21:00.

Live Performances at Framer Framed
Start time: 19:00 to 21:00
Dates: 20, 25, 26, 27 & 28 June & 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 & 12 July
Sign up here

Address
Oranje-Vrijstaatkade 71
1093 KS, Amsterdam

The project is co-commissioned by Framer Framed and NITE, and co-produced by Framer Framed, NITE, and This is Not an Office.

Supported by
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science; Amsterdam Fund for the Arts; Municipality of Amsterdam; VriendenLoterij Fonds; het Cultuurfonds and Performing Arts Fund NL.

Photographer: Dion Bal
Light assistant: Eugene Berkovski
Talent: Adama
Make-up artist: Marly van den Bosch
Hair stylist: Eldrigde Mullenhof

Links

• NITE – Theatre Company

Agenda

25 Jun – 12 Jul 2025

Performances: THE TAIL by MAISON the FAUX

Live performances in collaboration with Diamanda Dramm, Dae Uk Kim, Anto López Espinosa, Oriana Ikomo, Bien De Moor and Luthfi Darwis.

Network

Bien De Moor

Actress

Luthfi Darwis

Videographer

Anto López Espinosa

Artist, Performer

Dae Uk Kim

Artist

Diamanda La Berge Dramm

Musician

Oriana Ikomo

Artist, Musician