APARTMENT 34
Performance art on the beach
Performance art on the beach
ANA MENDIETA
RESEARCH AND THOUGHTS:
It’s been a long time when I’ve started being interested in Ana’s Mendieta work and life… I feel, as much as I discover about her Cuba, her work, her lovers, her death, it seems that this marvelous soul was very tender and sensitive but extremely powerful. She wanted to become one with marvelous nature and have a home or tomb within. Ana Mendieta was made of blood, flowers, sand, earth, mud, ocean, wind, trees, ice, feather etc. And she was living her art fully, until, she turned 36 and everything stopped for a moment. Precisely in 4 seconds. Her blood fulfilled the earth, sand, and fire of her soul and bones melted into the ocean, and flowers were traveling to Cuba, to send a mourning message:
“Pedro Pan forgot to fly”…
During her short life, Ana Mendieta created a serious of over 200 Siluetas/Silhouettes mostly in Mexico and Cuba. She was documented all of her work very precisely. Ana photographed her “Siluetas” from the different perspectives and with a lot of care for those photos. We see that through precise framing for each photo. (Also, she filmed a lot of her work.) Through my research, about this incredible artist that I have my constant dialogue with, I found something unexpected that starts to intrigue me. Ana created every “Siluetas” alone, and she left her silhouette alone in nature. On September 8th, 1985, Ana felt through the window in Greenwich Village and New York City got her last “Silueta” forever. Her bones were imprinted into NY streets to remind u, women, to never give up and not allow anybody to own our ideas, our lives and stop us flying.
She never created two “Siluetas” next to each other, and I was wondering why. Some people say that she predicted her own death, I am not sure. It makes me think a lot. In the beginning of exploration Ana’s work I was interested more about her private life because of her not clear death and her relationship with Carl Andre, but then, I realized that I don’t want to overshadow her work. It will not be ok at all. I want to focus on her work and explore those “Siluetas” created by different materials and recreate “Siluetas” on my own in order to bring her home and give her to live again on Cuban coast. Those previous weeks I asked myself who am I in my project? How can I represent this woman fully and stay honest who am I? Talking to Evelyn she helped me a lot asking me very useful questions mentioned above. The best would be to cast a person who is an American potentially Cuban artist, female as well and have a person from Cuba. My role is a director of this project.
Furthermore, last week, I went to the fantastic Terrain Biennial 2017 in Los Angeles to do some research about Ana and our LA art community. The whole day was in honor of Ana’s Mendieta work and life. I was curious to see and experience how different artists see and feel this noticeable woman and I was really moved and inspired what I saw. Performances were on the rooftop, in the house, in the garden, under the trees etc. Most of the artist was moved by her “Siluetas”, femininity, her death and some of them used the elements from Santeria.
Santeria /santo/ = the worship of saints. Santeria was something that was a source of inspiration for Mendieta. Through Santeria Mendieta could fully express her artistic, feminist and political ideas. Her earth-body sculptures were always in her relationship to Cuba, her motherland that she left as a kid. She was introduced to Santeria in the USA and that was an immediately strong connection with Cuba, it was important to her until the rest of her life. Also, Mendieta used to listen to the stories about to Santeria from her nannies when she was little. In the USA she totally belongs to Santeria and it emerged into her outstanding work, especially in nature.
Project flashbacks:
Two artists, two countries, two women, two bodies on the Cuban coast. “Siluetas” of their feet in the sand. Cuban sand moves their feet and they are approaching each other. They represent two parts of Ana Mendieta. Ana Mendieta – Cuban and Ana Mendieta – American. They explore each other through the prints in the sand, very tender and with curiosity. Finally, together, they melted into the ocean, half of the body is in the ocean and half of the body is on the wet sand. Two bodies on the island, two bodies in the sand, two bodies in the water, and time….waves…sand…waves…breath of two women together, embrace the nature and in peace are waiting for their bodies to be curved, together. The “Silueta” is not alone anymore, now is whole, the “silueta” got what belongs to her. The audience sees two silhouettes in the ocean. Two women continue their journey through the coast (it never ends, the soul is flying above us). They hold each other and repeat the action in the ocean couple of times. The land is a curving body.
Place for the performance: Guanabo beach. It will be at the beach where Ana Mendieta had her performance in Cuba many years ago.
My next step is to continue reading about Mendieta’s work, to go to the Hammer Museum and observe her work as much as possible. After our Thanksgiving break, I wish to get my Cuban artist-performer friend with whom I will continue to explore possibilities for our future performance in Cuba and share thoughts and ideas. Also, very important step for my work is to explore possibilities at the beach in LA and bring some materials to the class and share with my classmates and Evelin. Feedback is more than welcome. I will try also, to explore different materials that I will be able to (re)create “Siluetas: around the bodies (for example squeezing lemons; apples around the body; stones around the bodies etc.). Also, I will investigate how the passive body in the ocean can be curved and what is the best way to get the image done. What kind of preparation on the spot I have to do before the performance? There are so many ideas that I want to research on the spot, make photos, filming some moments, explore what kind of movement and why would be appropriate to use etc.
My goals:
With “Apartment 34” I want to bring Ana Mendieta’s “Suletas” to her homeland Cuba and to her people to whom she belongs. Through “Apartment34” we will give Mendieta’s work chance to stay alive as long as nature allows it to stay. The goal of this performance is also to proudly celebrate female bodies and female artists, to offer support to each other and continue the conversation about potential projects in the future with our Cuban collaborators. This project is also opening the questions to the people in Cuba “What happened to Ana Mendieta?” I am searching for the answer that potentially could be used later on in the performance in NY.
Plans after Cuba: After Cuba, in collaboration with local artists in Cuba, LA, and NY, I would like to present this performance using research that I will collect in Cuba with another Cuban artist. Performance in NY and LA is purely in honor of Ana Mendieta.
Researching materials:
Books:
Ana Mendieta – The “Silueta” Series, 1973-1980 Text by Mary Jane Jacob
”Ana Mendieta – a retrospective”, Petra Barreras del Rio and John Perreault
”Unseen Mendieta” – the unpublished works of Ana Mendieta, Olga Viso
Some useful links:
Guanabo beach: https://www.google.com/search?q=GUanabo+beach+Cuba&rlz=1C1GGRV_enFR753FR753&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4q9LIub3XAhVO32MKHTXcDgoQ_AUICygC&biw=1277&bih=655
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