“Action No. 2”

Date

2005

Curated by

Rewell Altunaga

Gallery

“Raúl Martínez” Art Gallery

Location

Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

Curatorial Statement

Naivy Pérez’s series S.T. Actions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) creates a critical space for reflecting on feminist art and its position within contemporary history. These performances, far from being mere reinterpretations of prior works, serve as a meticulous analysis and conceptual tribute to art produced by women since the second half of the 20th century. Through an aesthetic of “non-originality squared,” Pérez uses appropriation as a tool to unravel the cultural, temporal, and social processes underpinning these artistic practices.

Each action in the series operates as a microcosm, articulating questions of gender, memory, and corporeality. From the visceral act of drawing with blood in S.T. Action No. 1 to the exploration of Cuban female stereotypes in S.T. Action No. 2, Pérez recontextualizes the female body as a site of resistance and redefinition. In S.T. Action No. 3 (The Mother), the artist involves her mother as a symbolic figure of oppression and care, literally weaving her connection to the surrounding space.

The actions become more introspective in S.T. Action No. 4 and S.T. Action No. 5, where the body confronts the fragility of flowers and the enigma of the mirror, marking both pain and reflection in the performative act. Finally, in S.T. Action No. 6, Pérez walks through the streets with her face veiled, subverting notions of identity and visibility in a gesture that evokes both anonymity and oppression.

The series, by appropriating historical references, positions itself as a “critical monument” that dialogues with the legacy of feminist art. At the same time, it raises fundamental questions about the limits of authenticity, the weight of cultural context, and the role of the body as both medium and message. S.T. Actions is a profound journey into questioning the canons that have defined not only art produced by women but also the cultural expectations imposed on their bodies and subjectivities.

Taken as a whole, these actions are both an homage and a challenge—a call to dismantle the structures shaping historical perspectives and a reaffirmation of the transformative power of performance as a space of resistance.

Rewell Altunaga

Ciego de Ávila, Cuba