Ritual De Mis Piernas: Liturgy of My Legs
Ediciones Vigia formed as a reaction to the Special Period, a time of economic hardship for Cuba, that included a scarcity of materials and a loss of electricity. Through the use of recyclable materials, literature, and symbolism, artists’ books published through Ediciones Vigia, though small in numbers, have been a tool of reflection for Cuban artists who would normally have remained silent without access to supplies. This artist book combines the symbolism of creating dismembered bodies through raw materials along with the anti-consumerist poem, ”Ritual de mis piernas” by Pablo Neruda, speaks to two different times of change in Cuba, both during the Special Period, and in 2014, when relations with the United States began to shift. The figurines both on the cover and on the inside flaps of the artist book display dismembered nude bodies. The female body on the cover photo appears to be dancing with lavish boots. Meanwhile, the male and female bodies on the inside, hang on a clothing hanger, almost as if the bare body was a suit that had to be put on and performed. Cuba, as a nation that has often been isolated with international engagement, received mixed reactions to the possibility of lifting the embargo with the United States. While this artist book emerged before the official lift, it reflects the fear of entering a capitalist and consumerist world where authenticity is lost and one becomes obsessed with superficiality. On the back cover of the artist book, a person hides deep in the darkness of their armoire. This can allude to the fear of many Cubans in being consumed by modernization as they shift their diplomatic relations with the United States.