Taking place in a snowy landscape typical of Canadian winters, Aturquesada is a performance, originally shot on Super8 film. The violence inflicted upon the main character and her submission to the landscape is absurd and humorous. This project is inspired by the artist’s connection to the winter Canadian landscape as an immigrant, as well as the emotional and psychological violence that one experiences during brutally cold climates.

This symbolic death by tealquoise (A term that the artist has coined to describe a shade of green that rests between teal and turquoise) is part of a larger body of work that includes an immersive installation including objects and videos of performances in which the artist sells painted objects on the streets where informal economic activities occur. Conceptually, this project looks at the economy of being an artist and the absurdity in its institutionalization. It is also a critique on the systematic ways in which the mainstream contemporary art world determines what is considered art and its value.

Aturquesada questions the capitalistic system in which objects are categorized and utilized. The painted objects for this project become art pieces, sold on the streets and given an artistic value translated into real life money. Though the acquired and painted objects have been donated and/or purchased in second-hand stores, they are given a monetary value based on the labour that went into selecting, painting, and giving new meaning to the objects. Ironically, once the objects have been painted “tealquoise”, they lose their everyday functional purpose. This interplay between the value of everyday objects, versus the value of art objects, allows the audience to consider the systematic ways in which society gives importance and creates meaning within a consumerist capitalist economy.

This video is part of a larger performance and installation based project by the same title.  To view the objects and installation, please go click here.