ARCHIVE EVENT 32.
30.06.2023
LOCATION: MOLT, Tempelhofer Ufer 1A, BERLIN
FORMAT: Exhibition, performance
CURATOR: unknown.encoding and Lena Becerra
ARTISTS:
unknown.encoding
Lena Becerra
Nobutaka Shomura
FRAGMENTED, MISTAKEN, MUTANT, MEMORIES RAISE FROM THOSE DARK HOLES IN THE PLOT AND MATERIALISE IN THE PRESENT NARRATIVES AS A MULTI LAYERED ORGANISM. LENA BECERRA’S WORK EXPLORES A RESTORATIVE AND IMAGINARY WORK OF A SPACE OF ABSENCE, THROUGH THE IDEA OF PLEATS AND FISSURES IN MEMORY AND TRAUMA. SHE RESORT TO THE IDEA OF A FLEXIBLE CONTORTED BODY SHAPE, BY INVESTIGATING THE RESISTANCE OF SOFT ORGANIC OBJECTS MADE OF RESIN, CERAMIC, LATEX AND SILICONE, AND THE TENSION/ RESISTANCE CREATED WITH SELF MADE AND FOUND METAL ARTEFACTS SUCH AS FORCEPS, CLAMPS, PINZERS AND CHAINS.
THESE COMPOSITIONS OR ASSEMBLIES OF THE MUTABLE, NARRATIONS OF THE PAST THAT ARE IMPREGNATED WITH ACTIONS OF THE PRESENT INTEND TO EXPOSE THE FRAGMENTED SHAPE OF A MEMORY. OFTEN MUTILATED AND MELTING, ABOUT TO DISAPPEAR
OR AS IF AN EXTERNAL FORCE WAS PUSHING THEM TO TRANSFORM FROM THE INSIDE, THESE PIECES SEEM LIKE UNRECOGNISABLE VERSIONS OF SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW. JUST LIKE IT HAPPENS WITH THE IMAGES FROM OUR PAST: FISSURES AND FOLDS CONVERGE ON THEM.
TATTOO LIVE PERFORMANCE BY UNKNOWN.ENCODING MUSIC LIVE PERFOMANCE BY NOBUTAKA SHOMURA;
TATTOING IS A RITUAL: IT'S A WAY TO CONNECT WITH OURSELVES, OUR BODIES, ART AND MUSIC, IT'S A PROCESS OF CO-CREATION.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, AS WELL AS FOR MANY PEOPLE I TATTOO TATTOOING IS TRANSFORMATION OF THE BODY, IT'S HEALING AND GROWING TOWARDS SELF-LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE.
WE DIDN'T CHOOSE OUR BODIES, THEY WERE "GIVEN" TO US AND WE NEED TO LIVE WITH THEM AND LEARN HOW TO LOVE THEM. AND IT WASN'T EASY FOR MANY OF US. THROUGH THE RITUAL OF GETTING A TATTOO WE FINALLY CAN DECIDE HOW OUR BODIES LOOK, HOW WE WANT THEM TO LOOK, WE WILLINGLY EXPERIENCE CONSENSUAL PAIN AND MANY EMOTIONS THAT COME WITH THIS TRANSFORMATION. AS A TATTOO ARTIST, I WORK FREE-HAND MEANING I DRAW ON A BODY DIRECTLY BECAUSE I HONESTLY BELIEVE EVERY BODY IS UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL WITH ITS LINES AND CURVES AND SHAPES. FREE HAND IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN HIGHLIGHT THIS BEAUTY WITH MY ART. LIKE THIS, IT CAN MERGE WITH THE BODY - NOT JUST BE THERE BUT BECOME A PART OF IT. MUSIC PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THIS PROCESS, IT LEADS ME THROUGH DRAWING AND CREATING, ESTABLISHES A SPECIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ME AND A PERSON I TATTOO AND HELPS TO GO THROUGH PAIN. TATTOOING IS A RITUAL THAT BINDS BODY, TRANSFORMATION.
ART AND MUSIC IN THE PROCESS OF THE IDEA OF MAKING THE TATTOO <> MUSIC LIVE PERFORMANCE CAME TO ME AS A WAY TO SHARE THIS RITUAL WITH PEOPLE (WHO MIGHT NEVER HAVE EXPERIENCED TATTOOING) AND TO GIVE EVERYONE IN A ROOM THE POSSIBILITY TO SHARE THE RITUAL WITH US.
Photos by Gil Corujeira