Regina José Galindo


THE ART OF RESISTANCE

Regina José Galindo is not simply an uncomfortable reminder of Guatemala’s historical memory. She rejects any affiliation to political or religious activism. What she agrees on is to belong to the tradition of contemporary performance, which means using her body in a feminist criticism of the society. To be more explicit, as she said, she has not faith, she makes art. The mental supply to her work comes from her country’s history to diverge on both more general and complex issues.
Guatemala has a shaky and violent history, whether past or present. Dictatorship and corruption brought starving, minorities’ discrimination – mainly peasants and indigenous – mass rapes, absence of justice, to almost reach chaos. From all this resulted a hurt and dysfunctional society where crimes are not always solved and corruption rules. Since here we can extend Guatemala’s issues to Latin America troubles during the twentieth century. Moreover, the concepts extracted from facts such as ethic, humans’ rights and dignity, reach every country, which and that explains why R.J.G is exhibited in the whole world.
I would like to present briefly 3 of her most striking performances according me, which reveal how her work as an international voice and value and why the extreme acts and use of her body is not exhibitionism.

¿Quién puede borrar les huellas? (Who can erase the traces), 2003, Guatemala City  

When the artist became aware of the previous dictator presidential candidature, she set up clinically what became her well-known performance.
One day was enough to buy human blood, to dress in black and decide to dip her bare feet in the bucket full of blood, to walk and leave feet prints through Guatemala City until the guards’ row of the National Palace. A violent and quiet scream to help remember.
“Guatemala is a country without memory”

No perdemos nada con nacer (We lose anything by being born), 2000, Guatemala City and Mexico City Violence as an artistic method, and so controversy and subversion, is that what could describe this one? Sedated thanks to her husband, the artist was put naked in a plastic bag and brought in the biggest rubbish dump of Guatemala City. Through the ballet of the people working, picking up stuff, moving the dirt mass, and thanks to the camera, crispation and understanding happen. 
The performance was reproduced in the rubbish dump of Mexico City.
Breaking the ice, 2008, Norway
If you went to see Regina José Galindo in Norway, you would only have seen her naked seating in the middle of a cold room, for a long time. Maybe for two or three hours. Until that woman in the public gave her her hat, and launched the virtuous circle. Dress up the artist.
http://www.reginajosegalindo.com/

Sarah Netter