They look at me with devotion in their eyes, longing, and with a sincerity reserved only for characters with a deep connection to a larger cosmic order. They have a past, a future and a destiny - no meeting is coincidental, and all of it is reflected in the generic, almost expressionless contour of a face. I know them already: the naive, socially liberated and free minded hero; the complex, tormented charmer, not shy of manipulating others; the innocent yet lonely, in direct contact with a transcendent existence. 

"Revolutionary Girl Utena" is a new universe to me. I just started watching it after Viktor Pedersen introduced me to his planned performance “Bonfire of Dreams”, which became the reason for my inviting him.

To watch Anime in Norway is either an isolating act, or an immersive social investment. The appeal of anime is ever increasing but the core audience is still to be considered a sub-culture. Cosplayers are an even smaller segment of this group where the individuals aptness to live and relay a fictional character defines one's acceptance into the group. This can be a daily exercise or reserved for special occasions and involves many hours of preparations. A large part of cosplay is the costume, explaining the components Costume(Cos)-Play of which the name consists. There is a lot of prestige in homemade costumes, whether these are successful or not is secondary to many.

Through June, 2015, Viktor and I have been using my studio for preparations, loosely referred to as 'Reality Rehearsals'. A sowing machine generously donated, a bust and a wig. Paint, buttons, coloured ribbons. A white suit. Together we have scrutinized our selves, our investment in and love for the characters (Cosplay's main ingredient), our patience and our creativity. A work that searches for an expression which allows us to channel two foreign personalities in the best possible way. It requires balance between visual resemblance and mental trigger - it’s not enough to be visually similar of one isn’t performing by being.