La Performance

2017
Intervention for the cycle On és la performance?
from the Centre d’Art Maristany, in Sant Cugat, coordinated by Joana Roda.

Performance is an imaginary character who’s will is to disappear. Performances are generally understood as the action that takes place when someone does spectacular things in public, like getting naked, 9-hours-long-speeches and all that stuff. However, Performance differs from this. She is shy, introverted and manipulative. She profits from her performative potential to make others act. She gives them instructions to do specific things unconsciously. She designs scenes that determine the public’s way of acting. She wants her tasks to be carried on by others, she is tired of making spectacles, fed up with the 70s and all its blood and gore. She knows all her past, assumes it and acts consequently. Her goal is directed to all those who ignore the existence of shy performances. Her desire is to make them notice that, if we agree with W. J. T. Mitchell, to say that something has a performative aptitude means that it has the power to make others act. Performance wants to be performative, besides being only a performance. She wants to disappear and get diffused through the bodies of others; she wants the others to embody her, she wants them to be her without knowing it because -it is obvious-, if they were aware of it, they wouldn’t act, as they came to watch a performance.

Photos: Lluís Tudela

My infinite thanks to: Joana Roda, Andreu Dengra, Àngela (autora de la pregunta “On és la performance?”), Maria Josep (conserge del centre Maristany), tècnics i muntadors que ens van preparar l’espai, Lluís Tudela, Oriol Dot, Blai Marginedas, Aldo Urbano, Caterina Almirall, Alba Vilamala, Daniel Moreno Roldán, Quim Packard, Edu Ruíz, Eulàlia Rovira, Adrian Schindler, Bernat Daviu, Anna Pahissa, Núria Gómez Gabriel, Joana Hurtado, Borja, Xavi Cava, Lídia González, Carlos Herraiz, Marina Renee-cemmik, Maria Verdaguer, Joan Dot i tota la gent que va fer la Performance i que no sé com es diuen o que m’estic descuidant de mencionar.