Regina José Galindo, performance Common Ground at the opening of the 30th Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, 2013, Tivoli Park.
Photo: Urška Boljkovac. MGLC Archive.
As part of the 30th Biennial of Graphic Arts at the Jakopič Gallery, Regina José Galindo presented a retrospective exhibition of her work, accompanied on the opening day by the performance Common Ground in Tivoli Park. In doing so, she wanted to show, as she said herself, the fine line between victim and torturer and make it clear that there is no excuse for inhumane treatment.
Her artistic journey began with poetry and the transition into the performative realm came naturally. She was spurred on by the influence of other writers and visual artists and, most importantly, by the need to express herself. Her art practice was influenced by her awareness of the powerful poetic charge of the body, which she still uses “to depict” words today. Her move away from poetry to performance is not unique, as many artists in the field of literature have used visual art, music and performance to implement the possibilities of poetry beyond poetry.
Galindo’s work Common Ground was new and specially commissioned for the 30th Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts. You can watch a clip of her harrowing performance on the following link.