The Process of Transformation, 2019
The Process of Transformation is a type of performance art piece that addresses dialogue as a detonator and questions the permanence of change. It started out by creating a time and space for an exchange: a handmade tattoo - handpoked by the artist - for a conversation about the concept of change. The idea was to use this space to talk about the ephemeral permanence of transformation within every aspect of life, a paradox that we don’t think too much about precisely because of its continuing existence from the beginning of time. Nothing is ever static, which means change is constant but also ephemeral in the sense that transformation rarely ever looks, feels or sounds the same. Much like the Ouroboros, whose ongoing renewal can only happen by the devouring of its own self, change can only happen with the destruction of what was previously already born and transformed. It is with this notion in mind that the process of a tattoo comes into place. The body is, in a sense, destroyed - an open wound is made willingly to change what was physically and mentally in a different state. The permanence of a tattoo can also be argued within this concept, since the skin’s constant renewal transforms the ink throughout the years, making it faded, change colors and stretch out, depending on the placement of the body.
All the participants had only a few choices to make when deciding on their handpoked tattoo: the color of ink, the language in which it was to be written, the placement of the word on their body, and its font. Interestingly enough, for this last option, almost every single individual chose to mark their body with my own personal handwriting, which was special, since I viewed this as an extension of self, a piece of my being transferred onto someone who will continue to roam the world and inherently be a part of a network of people that may or may not ever meet within this lifetime. Those who decided to participate in the project approached me to express the moments of their lives that were marked by the word, sharing their stories and their view of the world. Life, death, politics, gender expression, climate change, illness, loss and hopes for the future were all topics of discussion. A safe space created for a free range of emotions, from tears of sadness to laughter or even sometimes silence, taught me more about human interaction and empathy than I could’ve ever expected. An ongoing project, with more than forty participants, a variety of objects have been exchanged in appreciation of the performance such as songs, books, drawings, and letters. In 2020, the book "Cambio" was published, compiling 12 of the stories that make up part of the project.
"Creo que la única forma de disputar el sentido común neoliberal capitalista y patriarcal es el feminismo y el ambientalismo. No creo que haya otro camino en el mundo actual. Pero a la vez tengo miedo de todo lo que queda por delante."
Giovanna (Chile)
"Ahora creo que el cambio ha sido una parte gigante de mi vida sin darme cuenta."
Claudia (Puerto Rico)
[Tattoo done in Haitian Creole]
"Pense en la destrucción como motor de cambio. Primero destrucción, luego reconstrucción."
Lina U (Colombia)
[Tattoo done in Latin]