San To Do Min Go 20

Telling time with the physica ity of nature has always been a part of my play and work Knowing when to wake up is determined by phototrophic rhythms or other cyclica events like the b eating of milk goats that need to be milked or mangoes that have ripened

A dry, almost abandoned fountain with a round foundation is a focal point of the grounds announcing the Diaspora Museo de Arte Moderno north entry To echo this I found a plastic hula- hoop at market to use as a stencil The paint was supplied by the ample amount of fuchsia colored bougainvillea found nearby in vacant lots The circles of blossoms formed the 12 dials of the clock and the upr ght fountain e ement the indicator of the time.

50 Bush Woodoo Dolls were made in response to the 2004 U S presidential election This project has been collecting responses to Bush‚s policies and actions around the world. Other places have been Lithuania, Brussels, Germany, Boston, South Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic

Here in Miami, Florida the evidence of Santeria is often seen with dead chickens in intersect ons of roads Wh le visiting the market in Santo Domingo, Santeria is al ve and well and it was fitting that the Bush Woodoo project visit one of the places that practices this hybr dized rel gion This project reflects or conflates the ocal perceived Caribbean religion and the powerlessness one feels when your candidate does not win or a sense of loss when horrifying policies are implemented. The viewer can feel more empowered by writing and applying their thoughts, fantasies or opinions. I consider these kinds of ceremonies, cleansing, cathartic and most importantly empowering for the practit oner

The work is interactive and invites the audience to apply curses or blessings with pins to the dolls The viewer can fee more empowered by writing and app ying their thoughts, fantasies or opinions and making them visib e The audience was caught in the perverse humor of each part cipant’s response The participants are invited to e ther leave their notes on the installation or purchase one to take home to perform anything they want

The two-foot h gh Bush Woodoo Dolls are posed in the cowboy stance favored by its model At the crotch is a tiny brain silk screened in pink ink This is to ndicate how W thinks He shoots from the hip or from his crotch The cowboy boots have Jesus‚ face carved into the leather pattern On the back of the dolls, is a quote by the winning candidate announcing: I‘ve earned capital in this election, and I’m going to spend it.

I considered the first ser es of my performances in the Dominican Republic in 2006 to be cleansing ritua s I intended to use them to ward off ev l and to attract joy, love, human pleasure, and most importantly to inspire art and music In a sense, they were “Love Spells” or “Hechizos de Amor”

Trance Plant:

The Caribbean's diaspora syncretic theologies and healing practices became the impetus that inspired t h e l o o k a n d t h e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e c o s t u m e a n d performance entitled “Trance Plant” The body sculpture felt something like a girdle with roots, and was meant to symbolize the magica girdle worn by the Roman goddess Venus with attributes of the Yoruban deity Ochun I was interested in the simi arities and juxtapositions of the two archetypal figures I repeated this performance and others in separate locations During these performances painted on my body with colorful, metallic, and reflective body-paints and make-up Because the costume was much more mobile than my previous works, I had the opportunity to adapt to new environments, and to change the paint and postures The work itse f grew and morphed over the course the week, with additions of fabrics, musical instruments, and adornments found in the different environments that I encountered The metamorphosis of the sculpture, as well as the body became a metaphor for wander ng, Exodus, germination, and the human abil ty to adapt to change

Attributes of the Costume/Performance: Peacock Feathers, Satins, Faux Furs, Jewels, Fans, Combs, Mirrors, Go d and Copper Sparkles, Venus Fly-Traps, Roots, Vines, Gold Bells, Sea-Shells, Honey, and C nnamon

Colors:

The colors are especially Red and Pink, but a so Gold, Copper, Magenta, White, Violet, Green, Blue, Chartreuse, Brown, Periwinkle, Pumpkin Orange

Number: Five and all mu tiples of Five!

Despite having lived in Puerto Rico as a child, and knowing Spanish, I was a bit disoriented upon arriv ng in Santo Dom ngo with a sitespecific project on the grounds of the Museum of Art as my goa Large draw ngs are my metier but a request to draw on the walls was met with incredul ty So, I went hunting in a local mercado for inspiration

I bought yards of waxy plastic table cloth materia printed on the sh ny side with designs that mixed 50's and Latino sensib lities- bright color and homey, fruity, imagery Turning it over, I drew shapes from my notebooks and cut them out, form ng a lacey, whacky design that I taped to the round fountain and sculpture in front of the museum By the next morning, it was gone and nobody knew what happened to it!!!!! Ephemeral installat on

I settled myself on the front steps of the museum and sculpted miniature figures made of self-hardening clay that I'd brought in my suitcase These I placed on the lovely cool rocks near the entrance I mixed black and white c ay They were marbleized creatures c a m o u f a g e d a n d s e c r e t i v e a m o n g t h e flamboyant works by many of the other artists

La Chocolatera

El Colectivo Chocolatero es un movimiento sin manifiesto, que propone un arte con otra función, otras relaciones y estructuras En lo referente a las acciones colectivas, un arte colectivo en todo el proceso artístico y en la paternidad de la obra. Existiendo siempre diversidad de posiciones frente a los conceptos c e n t r a l e s q u e i m p u l s e n a l C o l e c t i v o . L a convivencia como obra, la función del Colectivo en la relación artistico-social, la revalorización de nuestras vidas íntimas, nuestras relaciones sociales y de tipo geográficas Lo que exigen los nuevos tiempos a cada uno de nosotros es crear obras que establezcan las bases para un modelo distinto; n u e s t r a s o b r a s e x c l u y e n p o r l o t a n t o , a intermediarios ya que no somos ni directores, ni actores, ni autores desprendidos, nos basamos en nuestras vivencias y en el contexto que nos rodea En este sentido es importante reconocer y respetar los distintos esfuerzos, así como encontrar en donde se unen nuestros intereses como colectivo. La liberación de los hábitos, de las normas y condicionamientos, son actitudes fundamentales para lograr objetivos en conjunto