The unexpected passing of my father in 2021 forced me to face the painful challenge of overcoming geographical distance in my situation as an immigrant bearing an expired Venezuelan passport, at a time of personal mourning and mobility restrictions on a global scale.
Being for Others is a participation project that proposes a reflection on identity and transit across bureaucratic space and, will present over 242 personal portraits accompanied by an audio poem translated into 22 languages and recited by 70 participants of different nationalities. The installation encompasses a video projection showcasing all images contributed by participants, synchronized with audio recordings of each individual reciting the poem, copies of the multilingual poem will be printed and distributed for audience members to take home inviting spectators to reconsider the value of empathy in times of immigration crisis and multiracial acculturation in today’s societal discussions and political campaigns. The project's spectral and confounding quality reframes memory from an embodied experience operating at an individual level to the diffusion of reminiscences across the collective to question the relationship between memory, displacement, and identity.
Being for Others encapsulates my vision of art as a vehicle for solace and reconciliation. It serves as a beacon of hope for those grappling with the disorientation of forced displacement and for those navigating the complexities of sovereignty infringement. I aspire to transcend political and bureaucratic barriers, nurturing a collective dream of inclusivity and resilience.
INSTALLATION IN ANTE AMERICA EXHIBITION - ARTBO 2020
INSTALLATION IN ANTE AMERICA EXHIBITION - ARTBO 2020