This 120 - 240 min performance is a collective, long-term voyage inspired by Eugene O’Neill’s play The Hairy Ape, which questions our sense of belonging in a world controlled by the rich (according to Wikipedia), and Michael Jackson’s pet monkey Bubbles. It happens in a pseudo-domestic situation that is also a multi-media happening, resembling Jack Smith's live screenings. The performance approaches and shakes up themes of domination, debt, sexuality and animality. Two films (7’and 240’) were exclusively made for it.
bubbles is the first part of a saga that borrows from Michael Jackson's life and oeuvre to look into (social) affections emerging from the context of global neoliberal capitalism and post internet society.
The project began in May 2014 and it is an on going collaboration between Carlos Maria Romero, photographer/performer Michael Hart, make-up artist Hermes Pittakos, nude model Sanuye Shoteka, photographer Rafael Perez Evans, sculptor Newton Whitelaw and architect Charles Gonzalez Bernal.
Photo © Nelly Rodriguez, Greg Clément & David Wohlschlag
bubbles
18th of August at 19:30 h at Vogue Fabrics, 66 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XB London, United Kingdom
As a contribution to the event we asked people to bring a donation in the form of food and small change.
The performance was dedicated to photographer Rafael Perez Evans. With the kind support of Alexander Karotsch and Vogue Fabrics.
About the artists:
Michael Hart (New Orleans/ New York) is a performing artist, photographer and cultural agent. In the last 5 years he has travelled between Europe, South America and the USA producing the work of choreographer Trajal Harrell and since 2013 also Carlos Maria Romero’s project “Crossover”. www.hartharthart.com
Hermes Pittakos (Cyprus) has a background in fine arts and uses make-up and prosthetics as his medium. www.hermespittakos.com
Sanuye Shoteka (Romania/Germany) dropped his last year of philosophy studies and moved to London in 2007. His work life is split between freelance modeling, life modeling, and nude cleaning. www.sanuyeshoteka.com
Photos by ©Manu Valcarce
More photos: http://salivastring.tumblr.com/post/97997330566/bubbles-18th-of-august-at-19-30-h-at-vogue
Photos by ©Manu Valcarce
Photos by ©Manu Valcarce
More photos: http://salivastring.tumblr.com/post/97997330566/bubbles-18th-of-august-at-19-30-h-at-vogue
Photos by ©Manu Valcarce
More photos: http://salivastring.tumblr.com/post/97998008911/bubbles-18th-of-august-at-19-30-h-at-vogue
Lulu –Hermes' family former chimpanzee– is the cover of the post cards of www.monkeyworld.org Please donate, they are making an amazing job taking care of primates living outside of their original habitat.
LES URBAINES
Sun Dec 7, 15:00 – 19:00 at Le Studio in Arsenic, Lausanne
Carlos Maria Romero & Charles Gonzalez Bernal & Hermes Pittakos & Michael Hart & Newton Whitelaw & Rafael Perez Evans & Sanuye Shoteka
Inspired by Eugene O’Neill’s play The Hairy Ape, which questions our sense of belonging in a world controlled by the rich, and Michael Jackson’s pet monkey Bubbles, this performance is a collective long-term voyage. This year-long project, initiated by Carlos Maria Romero and Michael Hart, approaches and shakes up themes of domination, debt, sexuality and animality.
Entry every half-hour. Stay as long as you want. Thank you for bringing a donation in form of food or small change.
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Inspirée par The Hairy Ape d’Eugene O’Neill, pièce questionnant la possession dans un monde contrôlé par les riches, et par Bubbles, le singe domestique de Michael Jackson, cette performance est un processus collectif au long cours. Ce projet d’une année, initié par Carlos Maria Romero et Michael Hart, aborde et culbute les thèmes de la domination, de la dette, de la sexualité et de l’animalité.
Entrée chaque demie-heure. Durée libre. Merci d’apporter une donation sous forme de nourriture ou de petite monnaie.
http://www.urbaines.ch/fr/program?day=sunday&query=ooOOoO&location=&type=
Photos © Nelly Rodriguez, Greg Clément & David Wohlschlag
More photos : http://salivastring.tumblr.com/post/107362091736/les-urbaines-sun-dec-7-le-studio-arsenic + http://salivastring.tumblr.com/post/107363673891/les-urbaines-sun-dec-7-le-studio-arsenic
The presentation of bubbles in Lausanne would not have being possible without the help and support of Newton Whitelaw's grandmother, Grazh Danin, Helio Reguera, Ferran Font, Iury Trannin, Keiko Higashi and the team and trustees of Powell Cotton Museum at Quex Park, David Bonneville and the team of Les Urbaines.
Les Urbaines. When artists have something to say. Friday, December 19th, 2014 Katia Tamburello, KRAPP'S LAST POST, Theatre in the clouds
"Built around the theme of wealth and possession the performance of Hermes Pittakos, Michael Hart, Newton Whitelaw, Rafael Perez Evans, Sanuye Shoteka and Carlos Maria Romero, the latter Colombian artist living in London for years. In the four-hour performance issues such domination, debt, sexuality and animality take over. Inspired from "The hairy ape" by Eugene O'Neill the artists want on one hand provoke the audience by showing them videos that lead to multiple reflections: the disembowelment of a crocodile and its valuable peeling, a factory in East Asia where young workers assemble famous and expensive technological devices or images of Michael Jackson’s pet monkey, just to name a few. On the other side involving the audience several times, talking about money: "How much money do you have in your bank account?", or leaving it free to move, eat or drink while on stage is implemented oppression. Performance at times grotesque, at times distressing but never boring, she explores the theme of domination effectively and in all its facets."
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Les Urbaines. Quando gli artisti hanno davvero qualcosa da dire, VENERDÌ 19 DICEMBRE 2014 13:55 KATIA TAMBURELLO, KRAPP’S LAST POST, Teatro tra le nuvole
"È invece costruita intorno al tema della ricchezza e del possesso la performance di Hermes Pittakos, Michael Hart, Newton Whitelaw, Rafael Perez Evans, Sanuye Shoteka e Carlos Maria Romero, quest’ultimo artista colombiano da anni residente a Londra. Nella performance di quattro ore temi quali la dominazione, il debito, la sessualità e l’animalità prendono il sopravvento. Ispiratisi a “The hairy ape” di Eugene O’Neill gli artisti vogliono da un lato provocare il pubblico mostrando loro dei video che inducono a più riflessioni: lo sventramento di un coccodrillo e il suo prezioso spellamento, una fabbrica dell’est asiatico in cui giovani operaie assemblano costosi e famosissimi apparecchi tecnologici o le immagini della scimmia domestica di Michael Jackson, solo per fare qualche esempio. Dall’altro coinvolgono lo spettatore a più riprese, parlando di danaro: “Quanti soldi hai nel tuo conto in banca?”, oppure lasciandolo libero di spostarsi, mangiare o bere, mentre in scena si attua la sopraffazione. Performance a tratti grottesca, a tratti angosciante ma mai banale, sviscera il tema della dominazione con efficacia e in tutte le sue sfaccettature."
http://www.klpteatro.it/les-urbaines-quando-gli-artisti-hanno-davvero-qualcosa-da-dire
The 2 hours film was produced to be exclusively screened during the presentations of bubbles.
With Hermes Pittakos / Camera, Concept, Production, Direction: Carlos Maria Romero & Hermes Pittakos / Styling Assistance : Grazh Danin.
The film was produced to be exclusively screened during the presentations of bubbles.
With Sanuye Shoteka / Camera: Michael Hart / Concept, Production, Direction: Carlos Maria Romero / Assisting director: David Bonneville.
With the kind permission of Powell Cotton Museum at Quex Park and the support of Sam Causer Studio.
Photo © Douglas Sibley
A guy I dated during 2015, his father had a chimpanzee called Bubbles, clearly prizing the celebrity pet. They used to sail around Florida in the 80's.
We had a great connection, but he didn't wanted to see me anymore after realizing I was polyamorous. What happened to Bubbles is a mystery to me, I just got this picture he showed me once. Look how cute its little trainers were.