PALERMO GESTURE OBJECTS

The gesture objects can be charged performatively. Every object is given a gesture. This gesture is carried out on a mass of plasticine (pasta sale).

The plasticine is made from eatable material and kneaded by hand like dough. Mixing dough is a moment of reproductive labour but also of reunion and exchange. Important in my project is the aspect of the re-enactment of the invisible female reproductive work (preparation of food) and its transfer into the context of art production.

What remains after the performance is the imprint of the performance, the imprint of the objects, the imprint of the gestures in the plasticine. This imprint is molded with liquid latex and can be installed in the room. Thus, various performances can take place on the plasticine and can be preserved as latex imprints. The body of the performers remains invisible in the installation. It is removed from the view of the observer. Only it´s imprints testifie to its absent presence.

The objects are usually inspired by reading, discussions or interpersonal encounters. They reproduce social conditions, specific situations, but also abstract constructs. With the help of the performative gesture, the contents of the sculptures are concretized. I have been following this practice since 2017 and noticed that the performance objects differ very much from one another depending on the location and context, means they have a relevant location specificity.