On the 30th and 31st of January, Wrap hosted for the second time Transiteatret’s Lyttepost (listening post) concept, where people are given a unique opportunity to follow live streamed video and audio, together with live site-specific contributions.

This year we aim to host various artistic events at the Pavilion on Møllendal Allmenning (the local common) and in the spirit of finding the best solutions, we decided to host this Transiteatret event there. The Pavilion provided a powerful visual backdrop to the whole performance, both in Oslo and Bergen as video was streamed both ways.

Wrap intends to provide an open and flexible space not only for many artistic production needs, but also for artistic presentation.

There is a significant demand for spaces where it is possible to present work in collaboration with knowledgable and experienced staff, to find the best solutions based on an artists own vision. If ones work doesn’t fall within the often limited range and constraints of a curated program, one is likely to meet with many daunting issues involving the need for hired help and various practical limitations. 

In order to fill this gap, and empower artists to find satisfying solutions within our simple and informal framework, we have formalised a platform called Plastic Arena. Under this label we will present between three to five performances, workshops, exhibitions or combinations of these things, in collaboration with artists that see a major benefit in showing their work within this context.

Both Transiteatret’s listening post, and Ann-Christin Kongsness’ recent workshop and performance were presented under the Plastic Arena label.

We would like to thank Ann-Christin Berg Kongsness for her workshop in creative writing, and Tag Team Studios which hosted it in collaboration with Wrap, and helped us to recruit participants from various artistic backgrounds. The performance, Pointing Back was presented at Wrap the same evening - Saturday the 8th of February.

Kongsness has continued to produce work at Wrap since she participated in our legendary nation-wide Kunstikit project (2011-2012). Pointing Back began it’s life as a 20 minute performance lecture which was one of a pair of “dogma” performance lectures entitled About, that premiered at Black Box theatre in 2018 with Ann-Christin Kongsness and Solveig Styve Holte. A text by each of these artists, connected to the work, is published in a small booklet. Kongsness’ text from this booklet is now incorporated directly into Pointing Back which is just under an hour.

The short “About” performances were developed while adhering to a set of dogmas that created a a minimalistic, practical framework. The process began with workshops at Wrap, and Leo Preston assisted with sound design, within the same dogmatic framework.

We hope that Kongsness will be back this autumn with Marte Reithaug Sterud to start production on their forthcoming project!

On the 27th of February, Bergen Impro Storband will have an evening of experimental instrument-building in our wood and metal workshop. Ole André Farstad and Sindre Sortland from BIS have gained a lot of experience building new experimental instruments and holding workshops at Wrap and other workshops over the years. This is also presented under Plastic Arena.