I was in New Delhi for this residence February 2012. Before that, I traveled around Madhya and Uttar Pradesh, I found that in winter India has a sepia and brownish landscape. Garments, plastics and powders, all human creations, are the only elements that bring color to this pretty dull and wintery environment.
It also appeared to me amazing that many trees I wandered about, many birds, were all sacred:
«-Banyan tree is a sacred tree, it is a national symbol.
Frangipani tree is a sacred tree, it is a national symbol.
Peacocks are sacred they are national birds…-» all this followed by the head movement left to right.
In the cultures I knew, almost nothing is considered as sacred outside the church.
I thought color could be considered as sacres an as a matter of fact the «Holi» festivities are about that: the return of color.
From that line of thought I created these installations.
Sanskriti Kendra Foundation is a property outside of New Delhi that possesses magnificent gardens.
In this In situ installation works, I brought an artificial, colored prequel to spring to the gardens of this amazing place.
Performance | 2012
Hindini Pada
This is a performance where I start wearing only a leotard and I cover my body with color powder.
Women are treated in a very disrespectful way in India (to say the less), to even cross the look of a man would be considered as an erotic invitation. Even though, those same women are always beautifully dressed and in marvelous colors. To stand in front of an audience almost naked is not a possibility for an Indian woman » she wants to be raped», men would say.
This performance is a subtle protest to this situation. I enjoyed myself in this truly erotic situation, but I was protected by my status of artist and foreigner.
