Regina José Galindo on Migration, Performance, and the Body as Political Tool

Regina José Galindo presents "Lavarse las manos," a site-specific project at the Real Academia de España en Roma, part of a larger initiative titled "cuestiones de estados" focusing on migration. The project includes a participatory performance held on December 10, 2019, and an exhibition running from December 13, 2019, to February 23, 2020, featuring ambient audio and photographs. Curated by Federica La Paglia, the project is promoted by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, the Cultural Center of Spain in Guatemala, and the Real Academia de España en Roma. A second phase, "La historia la escriben quienes sobreviven," will take place at Casa America in Madrid in December 2019, involving three Senegalese street vendors. Galindo, winner of the Golden Lion at the 2005 Venice Biennale and a participant in Documenta 14, uses her body to address political and social issues. She cites influences like Ana Mendieta, Tania Bruguera, and Teresa Margolles, and admires younger collectives such as Papas Fritas and Las Tesis. During her residency in Rome, she experienced verbal aggression from a barista, which she reported. Upcoming projects include a Berlin residency on violence against women, the final phase of the migration project in Guatemala, and a project for the Soros Foundation.