CHICANO ART MOVEMENT attends: Rafa Esparza: cumbre: look as far as you can see in every direction -- north and south, east and west (2018)
This newly commissioned work by Rafa Esparza is an ambitious, three-part performance. Esparza’s point of departure is meditation on bridges and bodies of water as sites of connection and healing, division, and risk. The artist’s performance responds to personal. familial histories of immigration into the United States and the deeply complex history of downtown Los Angeles. Esparza will be joined by artist Sebastian Hernandez for a special collaboration in the final segment of the afternoon’s performance.
(Exterior shot of venue location for Esparza’s live performance.)
On a windy afternoon in January 2018, we hit the road with a destination to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, CA to survey the one-time performance piece entitled “cumbre: look as far as you can see in every direction - north and south, east and west” by artist Rafa Esparza. To anticipate the crowds and to insure admission to this Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA (PST: LA/LA) funded by The Getty Foundation programming, we arrived 45 minutes before the commencement of la obra. Nearing sunset, ticket holders ventured into a space where an adobe brick bridge with wooden railings guided patrons across to find a location for the performance. The overpass was created by Esparza whose focus of late has been this medium. With high attendance, we secured a standing location which later worked out to our advantage.
(Esparza during “cumbre” performance at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA for PST: LA/LA.)
After the space was filled to capacity, Rafa Esparza who wore a loincloth emerged from underneath the adobe bridge. This entrance was a surprise to us as we were unaware of his presence as patrons crossed the traverse into the performance space. With the sounds of flowing water amplified through an audio system, Rafa walked to a corner of the main performance area to locate his clothing and prepare for the upcoming scene. Projected on the wall opposite to the artist, there was an image of a powerful river gushing with force in majestic natural landscape. In front of Rafa was the nucleus of this live performance piece: the elevated stage with a wooden overhead, which looked guillotine-esque, containing an elaborate irrigation system that gave life to a showering waterfall.
Esparza changed into a red hued clothing ensemble--an undershirt, a long sleeve button-up shirt, and burgundy pants--with white tennis shoes and an elaborate hairstyle that was comprised of long hair extensions braided into long ropes. For a moment, the originator gazed upon the creation and centerpiece of this living art piece while still having both feet on the ground floor. Next artist climbs onto the raised wooden stage and turns on the waterfall apparatus. The sound of the water and its impact on the platform reflected throughout the performance space. Rafa carefully lifted one arm and pierced the cascade. With calculated movements, Esparza’s body passed through the impactful cascada. Each passage flushed every skin cell within the body of Esparza with frigid hydration and its temperature was reflected on the inventor’s face. Rafa marked the end of this scene by climbing down from the elevated stage to the prior corner to retrieve a towel to begin the drying processes.
(Detail of Esparza on January 21, 2018 at Geffen Contemporary in Los Angeles, California.)
Afterwards Esparza walked behind a verre podium to be surrounded by succulents in vibrant natural tones support by adobe display stands. Rafa’s introduction personified the MC style of checking microphone function by repeating, alternating, and progressing through si, yes, yeah, and ella. The last ella was the commencement of Sebastian Hernandez’s participation as a guest performer who brought the words of Esparza to life. Hernandez wore brown loose fitting pants that had a hint of bell bottom jeans. At the top, there was a custom made headdress formed by tiny square pieces of mirror that were arranged in a disco fish scale style that extended to the shoulder blades.
Now the storyteller, Rafa Esparza, recounted the migration story of an uncle of 52 years and a 16 year old nephew who were crossing the Río Grande between México and the United States. As the story progressed so did the movements of Hernandez who was moving with force to reflect the moments the said nephew was thrown by the water’s current and was then being pulled by the uncle to water’s surface for the breath of life. As Rafa narrated the struggle as a person of color in today’s society, Sebastian began to embody the navigation of those daily obstacles through exaggerated body language. Next Rafa Esparza recalled the lived experience of a drive by shooting after enjoying a night of dancing at Mi Hacienda Nightclub with family. Hernandez reenacted how the seven gunshots had consequences after that night with oneself, the family, and the community.
(Photo of Sebastian Hernandez, guest, during performance for “cumbre.”)
The producer of this elaborate endeavour took a moment to step back and with the audience to look upon the anticipated interactions between Sebastian Hernandez and the waterfall. Before reaching the platform, Sebastian removed the pants to stand only in a black brief and the surviving headdress mirror pieces. In a speedy fashion, the artist added plastic clear, high heeled platforms and clear plastic goggles to protect the eyes. Sebastian graciously climbed upon the stage to which the water started as a sprinkle that turned into a heavy downpour. As the bass pumped through the sonido, the composed piece by recording reggaeton artist Kelman Duran entitled “1984, Primero, Ultimo” and its tempo were in synced with Hernandez’s choreography that was danced underneath the water overpassed that now poured the residual pigment from Esparza’s red ensemble. At the song’s conclusion, Sebastian returned to the corner to dry off, removed the platforms, and don once more the long, loose fitting pants.
(Photo of S. Hernandez, left, and R. Esparza marking the end of the live performance.)
In the closing segment of this ephemeral piece, Esparza spoke about the original plans for said performance that encompassed a larger adobe installation within the confines of the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, but the idea was terminated due to the high possibility of dirt particles contaminating the art works in the collection. Rafa connected this experience to the historical mistreatment of Brown workers of the Bracero Program (1942-1964) who were deemed dirty and were decontaminated by pesticides and radiation before entering the United States of America. Esparza continued to share how the initiative of PST: LA/LA impacted the interactions between artists and museum institutions as well as the traditional views of art and art history against the creative works by Latinx artists from Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. While the artist spoke, Sebastian Hernandez continued to give life to Esparza’s word through rapid movement that reflected the various emotions and thoughts conveyed through the speech. The manifestation to Rafa’s last words of “I’m not a bridge; I’m not your bridge; we’re not your bridges” was of Sebastian with quick body movement created a visual denial of passage across Rafa’s bridge.
The originator of the laborious endeavor left the podium to join Hernandez, together they walked around the elevated stage and began clapping with some synchronization. In unison, they moved towards double-swinging doors which marked the exit scene leaving us with contemplation.
(View of Rafa Esparza’s podium/installation.)
After taking time to reflect about this live performance as an observer, I found many themes in the program. One essential element through Rafa Esparza’s “cumbre: look as far as you can see in every direction -- north and south, east and west” was agua. In the first portion when Rafa was passing through the water while fully clothed, I saw the facial expression bore the cold temperature of the water falling consistently on the body. With the use of cold water throughout, I saw the interaction of how much the body can withstand the harshness of Mother Nature.
With Esparza’s movements and actions, I saw elements of aquatic creation but later in the discourse I was reminded that agua can also eliminate and destroy. While Rafa spoke about the two men attempting to cross el Rio Grande to immigrate to the United States, Sebastian Hernandez (guest performer) reenacted how powerful the river was and in one quick moment, it can be taken away by the Azteca goddess Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of oceans, rivers and running water.
While contemplating the scene of Sebastian Hernandez and the performance to the song “1984, Primero, Ultimo,” I thought about how the movements were reflective of how individuals can connect and live through music. Throughout this portion I was reminded of how I do a similar act on a daily basis singing and dancing while in the shower. I connected to the idea of water having cleansing and healing properties and through music consciousness can be achieved in order to accomplish the goals for the day.
Overall, this was a delightful and much needed addition to the PST: LA/LA programming.
To view a recorded version of “cumbre: look as far as you can see in every direction -- north and south, east and west” by Rafa Esparza, visit: https://youtu.be/5UTu3k3yb3o
More information on Rafa Esparza, visit: https://www.instagram.com/elrafaesparza/?hl=en
