Artefacts and Encounters by Elvira Santamaría
Elvira Santamaría is an internationally acclaimed performance artist whose work has resonated with audiences around the world. Born in 1967 in Mexico City, she has been based in Northern Ireland since 2011.
Using public actions, durational performance and installation, her practice has been focused on drawing attention to the changeable, fragile and ephemeral aspects of life. She looks at fundamental aspects of human behaviour, such as: mental suffering; love; death; mourning; resilience; and consciousness. Her work has evolved through several ‘action’ art forms e.g. public interventions and performance-installation.
Artefacts and Encounters emerged from conversations and dialogue between Santamaría and curators Sarah McAvera and Peter Richards. Questioning how do we engage with performance art, after the performance has taken place? How can a career of performed actions, of moments, be shown in a gallery space? Within the exhibition, Santamaría revisits objects of her past performances. These objects now act as ‘humble prompts’ to re-engage and revisit her performative work.
Elvira Santamaría studied at the Antigua Esmeralda and the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Santamaría has presented her work in festivals, galleries, museums and public spaces in Mexico, Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America. Her most recent public projects include: Encounter with Reconciliation and Corpology of Performative Resilience: Process Art 2019, 2020. In 2013 she was nominated for the ARTRAKER award, which awards creativity in art and conflict in London. Her work has been published internationally.
There will be a series of activities, workshops and performances taking place during the exhibition.
Exhibition Events:
- 24th Sept: Opening event and Chamber performance (20mins) – 1.30pm
- 12th-14th Oct: Performance 12-4 pm, Salt Cartographies III, Ireland – England.
- 18th – 21st Oct: Workshops 1pm-4pm Each Day – Workshop participants will work on the ideas, concerns or intuitions that that they want to develop into a performance artwork. From experiential and conceptual material, we will discuss aspects and principles of performance art. £100 full rate, £50 Concession (Booking via info@gtgallery.co.uk)
- 22nd Oct: 1pm Workshop Showcase Event. Workshop participants will present their work
- 27th Oct: Artist/ Curator roundtable. Peter Richards, Sarah McAvera and Elvira Santamaria. Artefacts and Encounters
- 1st – 5th Nov: Elvira Santamaria Durational Process Art Performance. Amorphous Artefact