…it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
Deadline: 14 February, 2025
We are looking for video art. We are searching for images that show your signature styles as an artis. We want to see how as an artist, you tell the world without dogma or formulas, whether through a film, an installation or an audiovisual performance.
What if….
we were to take self-determination as the gateway to the world, as a way of reclaiming our critical outlook, our thoughts and our images, to put an end to the paralysis we feel in front of (or behind) our screens, to put an end to the feeling of powerlessness, to resist the sad affects that diminish our power to act.
What if….
we were to reaffirm the need to open up territories where images and bodies, ideas and words can circulate freely, dreams of re-enchantment of our lives and the world.
What if….
we were looking for places of visual and political exploration that would allow us to clear up neglected areas, with video art as a torch, and its works which, rather than being conceived as a luxury, or as neutral, take sides and make our eyes shine.
Let’s take a look at electronic poetry, an art form that questions the relationship between the words and images it contains and the ordinary world outside, to re-inhabit that world and tame it anew.
Let’s side with joy, because it never gives up, and no power can dominate it. ‘Joy, as the power of life, takes us to places where sadness would never take us,’ says Gilles Deleuze.
How I dance in the rain–I firmly believe creating art is an act of resistance. I also believe creating art is an act of magic, and presenting that magic to the world is a gift. Dance is a daily creative practice for me and so while I literally dance in the rain sometimes, metaphorically my artistic practice serves as a radical act of joy to counter the systems that oppress. Inspired by Dada and Fluxus, I often employ subversive humor and absurdity as a strategy to engage viewers in dialogue about socio-political issues. Calling the Bees is a recent eco (environmental) performance video bringing attention to endangered pollinators. Dressed as a sunflower, I practice the pranayama technique of Bhramari (bee breath) to summon the pollinators. As a meditation practice, the buzzy bee breath technique serves to reduce tension and anxiety, as well as stimulates the throat chakra. My intent is to generate calming vibrations to encourage happy pollination. The end clip is called the waggle dance. It is a dance that bees practice to communicate the location of food sources to other bee friends. I practice it here as a pollinator ally. The Alien & the Border Guard is inspired by the tension and violence along the U.S./Mexico border (although it represents many borders/tensions). The short film is about struggle and transformation; it is about understanding and accepting the Other. There is a dance between the opposing characters–a snake alien from outer space and a border guard who is tasked with the job of keeping aliens out. What must we shed to reveal our true humanity?