Performances

Face to Face and virtual

Performances go hand-in-hand with video production, an essential step in the mediated processes developed by Toxic Lesbian. The idea of action may form part of a piece created through collaborative, face-to-face and mediated development with social agents, as is the case for the “LesGay-Legal-Lethal” project, where interventions in Intermediae Matadero included three performances described in the series. Or they may in and of themselves serve as a way of building on the piece, with the actor chosen from the social background which they are to represent, as is the case for the “Portraits” series. Or finally the performance may capitalise on the piece in and of itself, as is the case for “Portraits”

Furthermore, Toxic Lesbian organises urban actions such as those carried out for ‘Tomboys, Butch Lesbians, Trans, BDSM-ers” or “Intimate”.

The tombs: exhibition in the dryhouse

Performance carried out inside an abandoned tobacco dryhouse in the province of Toledo, March 2007.

It covers the assembly of an exhibition of photographs, drawings and other pieces from the “The Tombs” series inside the dryhouse, created by Elena Tóxica.

Once the installation was completed, everything was abandoned and no one was invited to visit.

MetroLES

For the visibility of Lesbians, LGBTPride 2008, Madrid, 28 June. Toxic Lesbian created and edited this video on its action in the Madrid metro. Performances in the stations carried out in collaboration with RedRetro.

PolytechFEMMEHAINEnique

First Toxic Lesbian web performance via its streaming channel www.toxiclesbian.org in 2009. This action covers the attack on the University of Montreal, Canada, in the 80s, where 14 women died and a further 19 were injured in an act of mass gender violence.

Performances created in 2009 for the LesGay-Legal-Lethal project focusing on homosexual marriage and families created by lesbian women. The actions formed part of the design of the public art project carried out in Intermediae Matadero, Madrid, with help from Aid for Creation in the Area of the Arts from the Madrid City Council.

On the 19 November 2010, Toxic Lesbian developed its web performance “Trash and Tension” from Tabacalera, Madrid, to participate in sessions organised by the Generatech Platform focusing on the STP movement in favour of removing transexuality’s label as a “disease”.

On the 18 December 2010, Toxic Lesbian developed a final production session for pieces created for the “Garbage and Tension” from Tabacalera, Madrid, to participate in sessions organised by the Generatech” series in Arteleku, Donosti, for the Feminist culture festival Feministaldia, in its online presentation via its channel Toxic TV.

Web performance to open the “When love in Africa costs your life” project shown live online via the channel Toxic TV by Intermediae Matadero in 2011 through the production residency for this project at ‘El Ranchito’. The piece revolved around lesbian asylum seekers of African origin.

Urban action involving the occupation of public space in Madrid: Plaza del Rey,  the Ministry of Culture and the “Siete Chimeneas” (House of the Seven Chimneys) artistic historical building which is part of Spain’s National Heritage. 24 February 2012, performance of the project on the BDSM community rebroadcast live via streaming. Dita Bi Teese held an acupuncture session approached from a feminist viewpoint.

Web performance to be broadcast live via the channel Toxic TV (www.toxiclesian.org), produced in collaboration with Azu Atatrix, Candy de Azu, Alexander Karedchenko, Dita Bi Teese and the Madrid BDSM Community. Session which used bondage practices to subvert traditional gender roles.

From the Sierra Centro de Arte natural space where the Toxic Lesbian project had its production residency in 2012, an action on the landscape based on pieces which focused on transexuality, transgender and feminine masculinity.

Urban action in 2014 in the military zone of Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, a former Spanish army barracks which is now disused. The intervention was carried out in collaboration with Nusku Chinarro, Charon Estone, Ana Lógica and Redes Poéticas on the 8 June, the Armed Forces’ Day. The performance introduces Delfy, Leticia, Emmanuelle and Dita and the four versions of feminine masculinity which they play in the short film project which went on to be presented a year later.

Urban action in 2015 in the Lavapiés neighbourhood of Madrid where there is a large lesbian community. The intervention was carried out jointly with Nusku Chinarro, Charon Estone, Delas Rodríguez and Redes Poéticas. The graphic element of the performance showed the main image of Dita and Patrícia, the protagonists of the short film “Intimate (Dita and Patrícia’s session)”, mid-conversation.