[1] Shortcut for Latin-American.
I was initially interested in targeting Capitalism, Colonialism and Patriarchy, but during the summer I realised that these are too broad of constructions to reach any concrete conclusion, probably ever. That being said, these can still be explored through ideas of class, gender, race and sexuality, which are also major components in the construction of identity. However, its plane research brings no nuance. So I decided to look from within to the outside and try to find again the particularity to my project from which all of these big concepts can be explored, through a critical lens. I have realised that although identity is indisputably a shared trait of all humanity, its categories can be quite narrow. As the multi-layered individuals that we are, this phenomenon fascinates me and I am truly interested in researching what is in Between to Be and Not to Be. Shakespeare’s Hamlet was torn between to be and not to be, pnly imagine what could have happened had he been brought up by Cubans…The truth is that finding yourself in-between can be truly terrifying. In our society we often find ourselves compelled to choose one or the other—you either are or not—to the point of sacrificing vital parts of ourselves in order to fit into a category or binary. I chose to focus on the Latin American diaspora not only because it is my area of expertise (as I belong to it and it has played a major role in my studies), but also because I consider that Latin American culture is on itself full of contradictions and syncretisms and therefore its diaspora’s cultural response is refreshing and somewhat intriguing. As well, the gen z (between 10 and 25 years of age) is still in the process of constructing their identity and our current globalized society has opened the door to a wide range of debates and possibilities. As a result, we have been forced to break out of our comfort zone and put into question long assimilated convictions, and this is especially apparent in the younger generations.
I have been doing some extensive theoretical research over the summer. I started this journey with Foucault since I find his decentred idea of the subject quite useful, specially his critique of disciplinary power. I see how binaries are also crucial for the preservation of the system of domination, and how shame and judgement are main tools used for the reinforcement of systematic abuse. Because of the multi-layered nature of my project, I have also been researching around Intersectionality, which ‘describes the ways in which systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class and other forms of discrimination “intersect” to create unique dynamics and effects’[1]. I came across a book called Intersectionality: An Intellectual History, which shed light on a lot of issues regarding intersectionality and academic circles. It made me aware of the ongoing ethical issue that is the silencing of certain groups of people within High Art and Academia, which is something I would love to delve deeper into. In this line, I have been reading other texts by Patricia Hill Collins, Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa and Antonio Benítez Rojo, the last two belonging specifically to Latin American and Caribbean studies.
I have also been receiving feedback and advice from different sources. I got in touched with ex alumni Tiare Gatti Mora, a Spanish journalist and political militant from whom I got more critical feedback. After going through some of my blog entries, she advised me to be aware of the use of intersectionality, as it has been misused in many occasions and it is still predominantly academic, therefore not accessible enough in terms of vocabulary or prior knowledge. Although we had some disagreements, I found her feedback crucial since it touches upon the ethical side of my project. I also met with Cuban professor Lino García Morales, who is currently working at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Spain. He works in various departments regarding Arts & Culture as well as Mixed Media, and he is also a musical producer and the author of several books and novels. We had an extensive conversation in which he gave me feedback on the various layers to my project, and he recommended me some texts by Boris Groys, Humberto Eco and Pierre Bourdieu which I am currently working on. He advised me was to create a book or zine that collects parts of both my academic and artistic work, and even volunteered to help me in the process.
Lino finds that Kirsch/ Surrealism can definitely be a link between our Cuban culture and the experience of diaspora, and my latest interventions do play into that. Some things that are seen as common in Cuban culture work in absolute contrast with Spanish or British culture, and a lot of this cultural artefacts or aesthetics are disregarded by Western perceptions of “good taste”, aligning with Bourdieu’s views. I have been particularly interested in exploring Cuban cake culture, which has a major role in Cuban society. I first decided to get in touch with Cristina, a Cuban cake-maker whom I interviewed, then did a performance/photoshoot around Cuban cake and, lastly, I organized an Arts & Poetry evening with young diaspora artists in which we also shared a big cake.
Cuban filmmaker Mario Leclere has referred to my work as “Surrealist Kirsch” as he believes that I ‘give depth to situations and objects that were not intended to have any or that have gone unnoticed before’. Hajra, whom I have interviewed earlier on the program, finds my work relatable and sees a connection with South Asian culture. Others who have seen or partaken in my interventions agree that they really enjoyed the participatory nature of it and look forward to more iterations in the future.
[1] Centre for Intersectional Justice https://www.intersectionaljustice.org/what-is-intersectionality