In the public performance 'Her name is Marilyn,..' by Katinka Simonse, the artist-designer takes a dead dog dressed in a white dress named Marilyn for a walk in Beverly Hills, L.A.. When asked what she is doing while dragging the animal over the streets, she consequently answers by saying 'Her name is Marilyn'. The performance undoubtably refers to the meaning of the animal within upper (middle) circles, in which much more then a living being, the animal is used as a commodity article: as part of an individuals carefully build image and ego, rather then being acknowledged as a being with own needs and characteristics. The oblivious character of the 'answer' that she provides her public with in this work, relates to the detached, fully commercially appropriated significance of animals in our present society. Simonse performs by her alter-ego 'TINKEBELL.', a lady completely dressed in pink, referring to a completely innocent, sweet, naive girl, inflicting these symbols of friendlyness with acts of a violent nature. It is not only the performance itself that generates a reaction of shock, but especially the lines of text spoken by her alter ego 'TINKEBELL., for not only is the act of walking a dead dressed dog shamelessly executed, within the act itself, this is above all not acknowledged as such. (THNX!!! Roel Wouters!!!!)
