The Couple in the cage was a performance, filmed into a documentary of artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Coco Fusco.
Guillermo Gómez-Peña is a Mexican–American performance and installation artist and writer, as well as an activist and educator. His works revolves around the issue of the north–south border and US–Mexican interactions.
Gómez-Peña is deemed as a pioneer of performance art, experimental radio, video and installation art. His works often involve dense texts, a collaboration with another artist, engagement with audiences, detailed and theatrical costuming and environments, and interactive technologies. Gómez-Peña and his partner, in this case Coco Fusco, would often set up scenes and would surrender any control to the audience. He …show more content…
This technique intends to create a temporary illusion that exposes injustice through satirical exaggeration, or a demonstration of an alternate reality (Bonnano). This method allows activists and artists to receive coverage without having to buy airtime. Sun Tzu argues, “Sometimes it takes a lie to expose the truth”. In this case, Sun Tzu is right and agreeable. The Couple in the Cage was an analysis on the issue of the colonial practice of exhibiting aborigines in public venues such as public houses, museums, and World Expos. Gómez-Peña and Fusco brought into light the issues of racism, colonialism, and voyeurism via the performance of The Couple in the Cage in different museums. He had to present a lie in order to reveal the blatant truth that people refuse to see and …show more content…
Most of them actually thought that they were witnessing an authentic exhibition commissioned by the museum. Henceforth, can we say that Gómez-Peña and Fusco’s performance was effective? In this manner, it would most likely deem as a failure. Their goals and objectives were far from achieved. During the performance, Gómez-Peña and Fusco were continuously examining the audiences’ responses although they were in the role of caged natives. Through that, their findings were quite surprising. Although their intent was to create an exaggerated satirical commentary on Western concepts of the exotic primitive other, it turned out that a consequential amount of the viewers believed in the authenticity of the Guatinauis. This shows that their intention was not caught on by the audience, and that probably their acting was so great that their message was blinded. Or it could overtly show that Americans are oblivious of social issues, they simply could not
Guillermo Gómez-Peña is a Mexican–American performance and installation artist and writer, as well as an activist and educator. His works revolves around the issue of the north–south border and US–Mexican interactions.
Gómez-Peña is deemed as a pioneer of performance art, experimental radio, video and installation art. His works often involve dense texts, a collaboration with another artist, engagement with audiences, detailed and theatrical costuming and environments, and interactive technologies. Gómez-Peña and his partner, in this case Coco Fusco, would often set up scenes and would surrender any control to the audience. He …show more content…
This technique intends to create a temporary illusion that exposes injustice through satirical exaggeration, or a demonstration of an alternate reality (Bonnano). This method allows activists and artists to receive coverage without having to buy airtime. Sun Tzu argues, “Sometimes it takes a lie to expose the truth”. In this case, Sun Tzu is right and agreeable. The Couple in the Cage was an analysis on the issue of the colonial practice of exhibiting aborigines in public venues such as public houses, museums, and World Expos. Gómez-Peña and Fusco brought into light the issues of racism, colonialism, and voyeurism via the performance of The Couple in the Cage in different museums. He had to present a lie in order to reveal the blatant truth that people refuse to see and …show more content…
Most of them actually thought that they were witnessing an authentic exhibition commissioned by the museum. Henceforth, can we say that Gómez-Peña and Fusco’s performance was effective? In this manner, it would most likely deem as a failure. Their goals and objectives were far from achieved. During the performance, Gómez-Peña and Fusco were continuously examining the audiences’ responses although they were in the role of caged natives. Through that, their findings were quite surprising. Although their intent was to create an exaggerated satirical commentary on Western concepts of the exotic primitive other, it turned out that a consequential amount of the viewers believed in the authenticity of the Guatinauis. This shows that their intention was not caught on by the audience, and that probably their acting was so great that their message was blinded. Or it could overtly show that Americans are oblivious of social issues, they simply could not