Familial Endurance
Performance, 4:00 hour, 2017
Curated by Courtney Cintron
… what does it mean to endure?
Familial Endurance explores the concept of endurance in relation to familial histories. Through the lens of my Grandmothers’ having endured life, this 4 hour durational work pulls from the stories of their lives. In the act of sharing family mythology we grow closer. While my Grandmothers and mother share their stories I simultaneously build both collective and personal narratives physically manifesting the audio events as it is woven into my personal history and shared family history. Cycling represents the ongoing process of the manifestation of self — the rendering of personal identity created through familial tales.
The indoor bike is an apparatus of stagnant change — as one increases the resistance the body endures and gains strength. As intense experiences are shared family ties grow stronger and confidence in the sense of self increases. This performance sits precariously at the brink of pretentiousness, and melodrama — a leisure activity turned excessive and absurd. In this way, the work seeks to address privileges in time and leisure labor.