While living and studying in Rome, I was an Event Organizer and Curator for the 2024 Performance Cluster, an annual performance art festival hosted by the Rome University of Fine Arts. The event took 6 months to plan and the 2024 edition, themed Beyond the Pale, included 24 international artists selected from an applicant pool to present their work during the week long festival. My roles included participating in the festival design, artist selection process, scheduling, copywriting, promotion, logistical management, and day-of execution of the event alongside a team of curators. In addition, we were each responsible for the individual curation and coordination of a portion of the performance pieces, working closely with our artists to execute their concept.

 

I was responsible for the curation of five performances including Slovakian artist Bianca Poláková's Masticare Una Lingua (To Chew a Language). Together, we refined her idea and made sure she had the tools she needed to perform in front of a live audience. Including a cement sculpture and custom clothing made by Poláková, her performance began with her entered the space with seeds in her mouth, planting them one at a time by spitting into the waiting soil. Her piece is a whimsical reflection on language and translation with a firm foundation in mythology and folklore. The sculptural element remained in the space for several weeks after the performance. Those passing were encouraged to water the seeds and, eventually, saw them grow.

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Below, you can find the festival's official poster (designed by Ángela Sánchez-Ruiz, left), the curatorial text I wrote to accompany the performance (right), as well as a selection of archive photos from the event (below).