of dancing, of suffering and of white traces

For two hours I walked along the two pavements where the marsie – collective art space – is located. As a first act, while walking, I left a pair of women’s shoes on both sides of the street.
Then I take a bag of white powder and walk down the streets and leave it there. I also leave footprints and white lines on the road. I walk back and forth along the whole route. Sometimes I stop somewhere in the street. The white powder keeps coming out of the bag I carry on my shoulder.

As a third act, I stand in front of the gallery and take out a loudspeaker. From it, my voice tells stories. These stories are autobiographical ones, interwoven with those of women who cross the southern border, where I come from. I continue to walk down the street, back and forth. White powder continues to come out of my (pink) bag.
At another point in the street, the loudspeaker plays the stories again. It is dark when the performance ends.

This performance was created as part of WE WALK – STRATEGIES FROM ZURICH. Curated by Marie-Anne Lerjen and Simone Etter.

Thanks to Anke, Lilian and another women for their shoes that made this performance possible.

©maricruz peñaloza 2024. All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction of the texts or photos is expressly prohibited. All rights belong to the artist, both the texts and the photographs.