Picture: Monica Emilie Herstad in her stage project [BeMyGhost] with release in 2003

THE REVELATION AS YOUR SELF: [BeMyGhost]:

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herStay with [BeMyGhost] wish to say something about the neccessary prosess of choosing identity, and how to define and practice such, of a plural kind, offered in the diverse society of today

It is a subtle play on reincarnation, that researches the option of the revelation of yourself, described through different artistic expressions, chanonized in plural contingencies

Several variations of the play diffuses into ´reality´, and in the most obscure manner it effects the scene of the bureaucratic society

The complex variations and concequences of this play is still to be unvailed, to the exitements of the viewers buzy tracking the play

The art project [BeMyGhost] is still in an ongoing herStay process

Monica Emilie Herstad´s movie and thinking on the project [BeMyGhost] has a rich set of cultural references

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Monica Emilie Herstad initiated, created, performed and fulfilled most successfully the [BeMyGhost] performance, with premiere March 14th 2003. Her net-art project that is called www.bemyghost.com, ww.withorwithout.ism exposing one of her memorable video sequences, a website still in process, first time launched March 14th 2003, as a beginning. The short film [BeMyGhost] is the finishing of this project

Monica Emilie Herstad is the creator of this extended, tripthych art work, produced by herStay who is funded in part with the sponsorships from The Culture Net, The Film Foundation, The Foundation of Performing Arts, The Arts Council and private fundings

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March 14th 2003, Monica Emilie Herstad released her project [BeMyGhost] as she was invited to the NTNU festival ISFIT at the Teaterhuset Avant Garden where she recieved the most excellent reviews for her art project, such as:

"With [BeMyGhost] Monica Emilie Herstad, herStay creates an atmospheric performance that generates emotions and thoughtfulness, for audiences who are interested in early 21 century art.
herStay belongs to crossover art, between dance, drama and new media.
Her performances expresses poetic sence and scilent athmosphere, the one hour performance proceeds intensely.
We`ll have a look also next time she is on tour"
- Trygve Lundemo, Adresseavisen, 2003

"Based upon the pun "Be my guest, be my host, be my ghost " by Marcel Duchamp, herStay´ [BeMyGhost] tries to express the escapology that reflects itself in the mind of the human being when trying to conduct to its own condition. The performance deals with the problem of our own being. The challenge of facing yourself, your own reality and creature can be difficult

That is why we sometimes seem to be satisfactory to conduct to another creature, in example a ghost

The symbolic use of black and white, candles and few recuisitions on stage, the fragile and still graceful way of performing gives an esthetic and clean totality.
At the same time, the dancers and the music express chaos and insecurity. Taken in all, herStay are performing with an incredible engagement, and gives the audience value for their money.
The audience vitnessed an alternative dance-performance at Avant Garden. Using music, performance, video and dance, herStay expresses something new and urban" - Ida Siem, ISFIT, NTNU, 2003

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Short project history [BeMyGhost]:
Monica Emilie Herstad has initiated, created and produced the art project ww.withorwithout.ism and [BeMyGhost] in the way it is presented, an art project that concists by three different main levels:

1. herStay PERFORMANCE:
her performance [BeMyGhost] at the international ISFIT-festival in collaboration with NTNU at Teaterhuset Avant Garden in Trondheim premiered 14th of March 2003

2. herStay NET-ART:
her work in process net-artwork ww.withorwithout.ism www.bemyghost.net, launched 14.March 2003 as the performance premiere, hosted at www.herStay.net

3. herStay FILM:
her film [BeMyGhost] with release in 2005

herStay COLLABORATORS this project:
Artistic leader, choreographer, dancer, director, scenographer:
Monica Emilie Herstad
Music: DJ Hicham Bouddén
Net-design proto type model by Bruno
Performers:
dancers Monica Emilie Herstad and Thea Bay, fine artist Haavard Augestad, amongst others

Ghost:
Your self

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www.BeMyGhost.com, ww.withorwithout.ism

herStay©