Raíces Entrelazadas / Entwined Roots, MASS x Cobertizo Residency, 2025. Three-part installation. Solo reenactment performance filmed live in front of audience. Filmed performance displayed on TV monitor with English and Spanish subtitles. One pair of headphones. Original printed script extracted from interviews on display. Root map of Mexico. Roots sourced from artist's backyard, wood nails. 7 × 9 ft. 15:47 run time.

Presented as part of the transnational "Ni de Aquí, ni de Allá" artist residency and exhibition program by MASS Gallery and Cobertizo Art Residency.

Raíces Entrelazadas / Entwined Roots is a multi-faceted project that activates the intimate stories of two individuals, Oscar Alejandro Gonzalez Velasquez and Alicia del Carmen Aguirre Mustieles, through the methodologies of verbatim-theatre and site-specific sculpture. The work is centered on a solo reenactment performance derived from extensive film interviews and research into the participants' cultural identities. Through cross-temporal mimesis and embodied performance, the artist becomes a "biological machine of affective transmission," exploring how shared and converging experiences are in dialogue with their own. This visceral and performative language, directly sourced from the interview material, reanimates these narratives to explore critical questions surrounding the echo of performativity and the symbolic meaning of "roots."

In direct conversation with the performance, a speculative root map of Mexico is meticulously constructed from organic materials—vines and roots—sourced from the artist's own yard. This sculptural element serves as a powerful metaphor for the interconnectedness of heritage and the enduring impact of borders across generations. The physical juxtaposition of materials from a personal, intimate space with a representation of a broader geographic and cultural landscape underscores the central thesis of "entwined roots." Together, these two elements—the ephemeral, embodied narrative and the enduring, tangible map—converge to create a deeply resonant dialogue on identity, history, and the forging of new narratives within a complex cultural landscape.

The full, detailed account of my experience during the residency can be found here.

MASS Gallery official statement here.