The performance piece Performed in Portugal was based on Eve Ksofsky Sedgwick essay in the book “Constructing Masculinity” by Maurice Berger, Brian Wallis and Simon Watson. “You must be awfully secure in your masculinity.” is a performance where the process of preconceived feminine actions are being performed on my preconceived masculine body. Moreover, preconceived masculinity's are vanished and replaced by a common non labeled performative actions. It is to sate that there is a need to evolve beyond sexual classifications assuming that a preconceived feminine gesture can be performed in a preconceived masculine body. Having said that, the Performance was developed upon my research on the 1st Unit at Wimbledon College of Art. “You must be awfully secure in your masculinity.” was performed at the Psychology and Educational Sciences University in Portugal were it must be acknowledged that the majority of the future psychologists state that they would not take appointments from Homosexual people. Having affirmed that, the Performance was then created and developed to this audience and would not have the same impact in London, Berlin, Montreal or New York. After the Performance a debate about the theme and the performance took place at the University Auditorium.
For the ones interested on a feedback, I asked for some comments on Facebook:
" i think your performance interestingly shows how "masculinity" relies on notions of femininity for its existence and completion, thus being "secured" by the very concept that supposedly negates it :) " - Deidré Denise Matthee
"sweetheart - was so good to see you and your work too...Isontinue to be shocked at how conservative and parochial young people here can be...there was nothing shocking for me about your performance and again I believe you create a sensitive balance between revealing themes to your audience in order that they expand their response, view, feelings about the theme and doing it in a way that is not violent or aggressive of so in their face that they freak out...and yet, here in Porto...men and women were shocked:( how come they are not shocked every day when they go into newsagents and gas station shops and have porn right in front of their faces, even on the shelves at the height of children...or shocked when someone is violated because of difference or shocked because of racism against someone from brasil, ukraine etc" - Amanda Frost
"I thought the performance was amazing. The thing that most got me was the expressed hate on your face while you where dancing as a cheerleader. To affirm "masculinity is tirany" is still in my head and it is an evidence of a masculinity that it is still a fact. Those where the stronger parts for me but the piece is more than just what I expressed. Is Feminist. It is about femininity - I' ve never been too much secure in my own feminity because I dislike passivity. In addition, explores the body in the way we relate to it: dislocated body with no space to places - communal. Art has its utility at last. This one screams and rips off exclusive thoughts. Big kiss." - Alexandra Oliveira
Canha
