Jéssica Teixeira

Brazilian artist Jéssica Teixeira gained international attention in 2019 with her solo E.L.A.. Her latest work, MONGA, explores the life of Mexican performer Julia Pastrana, whose body and talent were exploited during her short life and even after her death. Teixeira traces key moments of Pastrana’s story while using her own body as dramaturgical material, rejecting spectacle and documentary formats. Under the harsh glow of a ring light, she confronts and mirrors the audience, exposing voyeurism and balancing intimacy, humor, and shock: “I’m not afraid of my body.” An evening of performance, poetry, and live music, with a shot of cachaça to complete the experience.

Information

Content: Discussion of ableism and experiences of racism, death (including during childbirth), dissection, murder, exploitation, reproduction of ableist language, alcohol (including serving alcohol to the audience)

Sensory stimuli: Strobe lights, dim lighting, spotlights, flickering images on a screen, reflective disco ball, loud music, loud siren noises, smell of alcohol, fog

Interaction: Questions to the audience and individuals, touching hands (1st row), invitation to dance, distribution of rum shots to the audience with an invitation to drink