Artist Statement 

June 14, MACBA – Convent dels Àngels. Session: Sound, Data and AI

Keywords: Body Politics, DIY-DIT-DIWO Epigenetics, Bio-Antidote, Gender Technologies, Decolonizing science.

Art project that claims the urgent creation of a bio-antidote, a biomaterial, performative-ritualistic-scientific-medical, to cure (us) of romantic love and eradicate this chronic pandemic. A DIY/DIWO/DIT epigenetics, a methodology/declaration of war that mixes scientific-medical and ritualistic protocols. Making fiction with Western medicine, creating a body performative narrative.

Forensic Love and Visceral Data is an art project that claims the urgent creation of a bio-antidote, a biomaterial, performative-ritualistic-scientific-medical, to cure (us) of romantic love and eradicate this chronic pandemic. A disease, a linguistic virus, the malware that constitutes one of the basic pillars of patriarchy, diluted in songs, sayings, and compliments. The raw material of the bio-antidote(s) is our visceral data, which is obtained from the contrast and verification of romantic love sayings with some medical analysis techniques hacked into their significance and interaction (dose/spell indication) with the participant-patient. Then, each bio-antidote is created from the data and matter of the “sick” organ that is the one that has received and assimilated the curse of romantic love. Medical protocols will be followed to identify and treat the disease: Diagnosis, Creation of antidote and finally Dosing, dividing the project into three stages. Our preliminary diagnosis is that the language being a virus enters the body from an initial point to expand and affect the different organs. The project begins by analyzing these popular sayings, the internal programming of romantic love and its physical effect on our emotional body. These are the symptoms of the disease called “love”, but they are not just ours, they are the choral symptoms of our sick society. Then, analyzing our social fabric, we respond, returning to it, not only the possibility of a cure with a bio-antidote but also its dosage as indications-spells, created from the same sayings that will be re-evaluated through social networks. This performatic dimension of the project allows us to hack our body-minds and at the same time decolonize the western medical tradition, making fiction with it, creating a body performative narrative. A DIY/DIWO/DIT epigenetics, a methodology/declaration of war that mixes scientific-medical and ritualistic protocols.
We join forces to work at the intersection of performance, technology, and science. In a true co-creation, our projects are born from our personal crusades and therefore they are micropolitical flesh.
https://ceciliavilca.com/forensic

• Cecilia Vilca, Peruvian transartist, chola feminist techno-witch, language activist. M.A. Digital Arts, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. Art/science division founding member of MyAP Electron Microscopy Laboratory. Her work is made with technology being this tool and object of reflection, exploring its relationship with gender, society, and nature. From a decolonizing vision it develops in the borders of art and science, connecting ancient technologies with new ones. ISEA2020 IPC Member. CITAR Journal Reviewer. Exhibitions/Lectures: Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Spain, Cuba, Chile, Norway, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa, Greece, Portugal, USA, Austria. https://ceciliavilca.com
• Lorena Lo Peña, Peruvian interdisciplinary artist, professor and cultural manager. M.A. ‘Contemporary Performance Making’, Brunel University, London, UK. Co-founder and director of 14 year old pioneer independent art-space elgalpon.espacio. Her artistic research crosses the liminal spaces between physical action, body art, multimedia, interactive and interdisciplinary performance. Her work is within the themes of gender, identity and body politics, with a strong documentary and autobiographical approach. Performances, conferences, seminars, residencies, various international festivals, in Peru, Cuba, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Germany.