Iconography of the Vulnerable Self
Fiva.CC Festival, Coltivamos Culturas, Portugal (2019)
Photos courtesy of Ines Alves
In this score:
I lay on a chair placed flat on the floor. I breath into a funnel as a male torso shaped perfume bottle dangles from my neck, attached with clear tape. I walk backwards and sit, stand, bend over the chairs laid out along the path. I spit the funnel out and ask an audience member to cut off the tape running around my neck attached to the perfume bottle. I ask to pass around the perfume bottle as I enter the barn and hide myself behind a mirror facing the audience. I grab the mirror and move from behind it, going towards the audience. My legs are trapping my genitalia, hiding them behind my thighs. I lift up and down the mirror, deflecting the audience's gaze and reflecting their body parts onto mine. I ask an audience member to hold the mirror as I apply mascara. I grab one heeled shoe from a seat and stand on a concrete block. I climb up a ladder leaning on a wall and grab the other heel positioned on the roof of the barn. I try to put the heel on as I balance myself on the ladder. I come back down and stand again on the concrete block. I go to the centre of the courtyard and unfold a chair. I bend backwards, locking the back of my neck onto the chair. I ask whoever is holding the perfume bottle to place it into my mouth. I hold that position for a while. I release from the pose and go towards the mirror. I spray the perfume bottle till it's empty and explain some of the ideas behind the piece.