Speical Issue: Bendición
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I am still coming down from the offering we made in Córdoba with Bendición. In a ritual performance paying homage to Yemaya, we paraded through the streets of Córdoba, tapping into the rich processionary traditions of Andalusía to enact a new collective offering to the Orisha. We celebrated with dance, song, and music, emphasizing joy and offering as well as mourning and prayer as transformative stages of healing that invoke Yemaya's feminine and fertile powers. It was the largest performance I have ever done, and with the help of many dear collaborators, we brought a little of Yemaya's ashé to the city.
I worked with the mighty 12-piece Coro Brouwer led by Javier Saenz-Lopez; two dancers: Helena Martos Ramirez and Antonio Pedraza; two drummers, Rafael de la Mata and Dani Angi; and 10 ritual attendants from the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático. Fernando Sendra took the photos; you can see more of them here. I’m finally catching my breath enough to sit down and write to you all, share a few of my favorite photos, and give everyone their flowers for making this happen.
It takes many hands to make a ritual. I give thanks for all of the people whose love and support brought Bendición to life. Extra special thanks to my partner and favorite collaborator Martín Perna Martín Perna for serving as my musical director and creative consultant. With you everything feels possible. Endless gratitude to the ill art witch, Monica Canilao, whose wild imagination and crazy talent is the magic behind the mothers altar dress and crown. Thanks to the mothers for my creative director Khalil Anthony Peebles for always showing up to be the Eshu who opens and closes ceremony. You are my brother and I love you.
I am deeply grateful to TBA21 for their ongoing support of my practice. Special thanks to the indomitable Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, Markus Reymann,, Soledad Gutierrez,, Simone Sentall, and Daniela Zyman for your faith in the work. The TBA21 team is led by an incredible crew of professionals whose support and love made it all possible. Thank you Beatrice Forchini, Ana Ballesteros, Francisco Estepa, Berta Gutierrez, and Isabel. If I am leaving out any names please forgive me -- you are all amazing.
courtney desiree morris studio
special issue: Bendición
I am still coming down from the offering we made in Córdoba with Bendición. In a ritual performance paying homage to Yemaya, we paraded through the streets of Córdoba, tapping into the rich processionary traditions of Andalusía to enact a new collective offering to the Orisha. We celebrated with dance, song, and music, emphasizing joy and offering as well as mourning and prayer as transformative stages of healing that invoke Yemaya's feminine and fertile powers. It was the largest performance I have ever done, and with the help of many dear collaborators, we brought a little of Yemaya's ashé to the city.
I worked with the mighty 12-piece Coro Brouwer led by Javier Saenz-Lopez; two dancers: Helena Martos Ramirez and Antonio Pedraza; two drummers, Rafael de la Mata and Dani Angi; and 10 ritual attendants from the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático. Fernando Sendra took the photos; you can see more of them here. I’m finally catching my breath enough to sit down and write to you all, share a few of my favorite photos, and give everyone their flowers for making this happen.
It takes many hands to make a ritual. I give thanks for all of the people whose love and support brought Bendición to life. Extra special thanks to my partner and favorite collaborator Martín Perna Martín Perna for serving as my musical director and creative consultant. With you everything feels possible. Endless gratitude to the ill art witch, Monica Canilao, whose wild imagination and crazy talent is the magic behind the mothers altar dress and crown. Thanks to the mothers for my creative director Khalil Anthony Peebles for always showing up to be the Eshu who opens and closes ceremony. You are my brother and I love you.
I am deeply grateful to TBA21 for their ongoing support of my practice. Special thanks to the indomitable Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, Markus Reymann,, Soledad Gutierrez,, Simone Sentall, and Daniela Zyman for your faith in the work. The TBA21 team is led by an incredible crew of professionals whose support and love made it all possible. Thank you Beatrice Forchini, Ana Ballesteros, Francisco Estepa, Berta Gutierrez, and Isabel. If I am leaving out any names please forgive me -- you are all amazing.
Mil gracias al C3A for hosting Remedios and allowing us to bring our ashé to Córdoba.
If you’d like to read more about the show, you can do so here:
Llega ‘Remedios’ al C3A (Córdoba), una colaboración con TBA21
El C3A y TBA21 inauguran en Córdoba la exposición ‘Remedios: donde podría crecer una nueva tierra’
'Remedios', la nueva exposición de TBA21 en el C3A: una reflexión sobre los retos climáticos
El C3A se abre a los 'Remedios' del arte con nuevas obras de la TBA21
More pics soon to come. But for now I am simply grateful.
Thank you for believing in my work.
C.