The Spirit of Colonialism
Novemeber2019
Performance and Documentation
︎ Performance: 00:10:14
︎ Documentation: Project can be rendered if there is interest in this work.
This antagonistic performance followed in the mandate of the Garbage Conglomerate Theatre. Everything for the performance was scavenged. The performance dealt with issues around repurposing the detritus left by colonialism.
The performance begins with an empty stage, the artist is stationed nearby inside of a Trojan horse made from a shopping cart and Chinese Dragon head. Their assistant rushes the Trojan horse on stage and leaves it there. After a few moments the cart begins to shake violently, and the artist emerges wearing a Viejito mask and over 40 layers of clothing. As the antagonist emerges he begins to undress, shedding one layer at a time and throwing it into the crowd. Each burden he relives himself from and successfully ‘sells’ to the masses makes him happier and happier. Kimonos, scarves and all sorts of commodities are thrown into the audience one after another. The sounds from this patriarchal spirit range from human to animal and from laughing to crying. He cannot stop the process he himself is involved in. After he has shed his last layers he is wearing ‘tighty whitey’ underwear and a 16” dildo. He stands there in his briefs and wets himself. He then falls into a puddle of his own urine and the performance is over.
This is an effort to make new cultural phenomena, as the patriarchy has successfully dismantled the wholistic cultural systems that existed pervious to their oppression, Colonialism has ensured that they don’t work anymore because we could organize and overthrow the existing ruling system. We are now left with having to purchase the cultural objects, transformed into commodities back from the patriarchy to try and put the pieces together and regain what is left of the cultural practices that have not been decimated by colonialism.
Our study of history, archeology and placing efforts into the revival of these cultures is now as paramount as ever. We must remember how it was possible to exist in harmony with the land, and only the ancient cultures of this region hold that secret. But, out culture is now a mix of different things, so we must also make new cultures. Just as these historic societies produced their culture we should seek to reinvent our rituals and systems to accecpt all and create joy within our communities.
The performance begins with an empty stage, the artist is stationed nearby inside of a Trojan horse made from a shopping cart and Chinese Dragon head. Their assistant rushes the Trojan horse on stage and leaves it there. After a few moments the cart begins to shake violently, and the artist emerges wearing a Viejito mask and over 40 layers of clothing. As the antagonist emerges he begins to undress, shedding one layer at a time and throwing it into the crowd. Each burden he relives himself from and successfully ‘sells’ to the masses makes him happier and happier. Kimonos, scarves and all sorts of commodities are thrown into the audience one after another. The sounds from this patriarchal spirit range from human to animal and from laughing to crying. He cannot stop the process he himself is involved in. After he has shed his last layers he is wearing ‘tighty whitey’ underwear and a 16” dildo. He stands there in his briefs and wets himself. He then falls into a puddle of his own urine and the performance is over.
This is an effort to make new cultural phenomena, as the patriarchy has successfully dismantled the wholistic cultural systems that existed pervious to their oppression, Colonialism has ensured that they don’t work anymore because we could organize and overthrow the existing ruling system. We are now left with having to purchase the cultural objects, transformed into commodities back from the patriarchy to try and put the pieces together and regain what is left of the cultural practices that have not been decimated by colonialism.
Our study of history, archeology and placing efforts into the revival of these cultures is now as paramount as ever. We must remember how it was possible to exist in harmony with the land, and only the ancient cultures of this region hold that secret. But, out culture is now a mix of different things, so we must also make new cultures. Just as these historic societies produced their culture we should seek to reinvent our rituals and systems to accecpt all and create joy within our communities.
