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 – consisting of designers and artists Tessa de Boer en Joris Suk – 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.
Before the final performance on 12 July, MAISON the FAUX will give an introduction to the work and its development, offering insights into their process and artistic vision. The introduction will start at 18:00 and will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
Opening
20 June 2025, 18:00
Live Performances
Start time: 19:00 to 21:00
Dates: 20, 25, 26, 27 & 28 June & 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 & 12 July
All proceeds from Pay-What-You-Can tickets for Wednesday and Saturday performances will be donated to Don’t Go We’ll Fund Them – a trans-led fundraiser that supports trans people in the Netherlands with surgery costs.
Address
Framer Framed
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.
Credits
MAISON the FAUX – Tessa de Boer en Joris Suk
Photographer: Dion Bal
Light assistant: Eugene Berkovski
Talent: Adama
Make-up artist: Marly van den Bosch
Hair stylist: Eldrigde Mullenhof
Performance / Collectives / Queer /
Agenda
Finissage: THE TAIL
Finissage of the performance installation THE TAIL with talks by Tessa de Boer from MAISON the FAUX and Alma Noor (aka DJ YoungWoman), followed by karaoke with Eastern Playgrounds
Finding Our Legs: A WERQ Workout for THE TAIL
Update: unfortunately, this event has been cancelled due to the warm weather. A workout in solidarity with the mermaid's transformation, followed by a conversation on reclaiming sport as a trans and/or queer athlete.
Workshop: Archiving Personal Queer Stories #2
Workshop session for queer people who are interested in archiving their personal stories and experiences
The Other Voice in the Fairy Tale
This workshop explores what it means to inhabit the marginal voices in fairy tales, such as The Little Mermaid
The Ghana Queer Underground
A presentation, talk and screening examining what it means to reclaim one’s existence as a queer individual in Ghana
Spoken Word: Queer Tales of Transformation
An evening of spoken word performances and an open mic, inspired by MAISON the FAUX’s installation THE TAIL
Cutting Through: A Queer Collage Workshop
A collage workshop inspired by the themes of installation THE TAIL by MAISON the FAUX
Introduction and Q&A with MAISON the FAUX
Before the final performance of THE TAIL, creators Tessa de Boer and Joris Suk from MAISON the FAUX give an introduction to the work and its development
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
Friederike Schubert
Dramaturge
Bien De Moor
Actress
Luthfi Darwis
Videographer
Anto López Espinosa
Artist, Performer
Dae Uk Kim
Artist
Diamanda La Berge Dramm
Musician
