SOUTH BODY
Carlos Martiel
Carlos Martiel is a Cuban performance artist whose work provides heavy criticism on the ethics of the world, its history and its behavior through provocative and raw performances that explore the nature of existence, social barriers and cultural traditions. At the heart of Martiel’s work are powerful performances that raise questions about the way different societies have treated ethnic minorities and outsiders throughout history. But these works also defy established values and draw attention to other pressing issues, such as the political and culturally motivated censorship and persecution present in many countries across the globe, particularly in his native Cuba. To this end, he uses physical expressions that evoke rituals and ceremonial procedures.
Presented as part of the 2019 Biennial of the Americas in partnership with K Contemporary, Martiel’s South Body continued this exploration of violence, exclusion and power. In the performance, he pierced an American flag through the skin of his shoulder, using his own body to confront the legacy of slavery and white supremacy and to draw attention to the experiences of undocumented immigrants in the United States.