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SHENUT
Demarcation is a departure from the televised trauma porn that highlights black death as a means to evoke empathy from the privileged. This performance illustrates that pain, and death doesn't need to embody black americans. Demarcation takes the present complex psychological and ancestral trauma and uses uncomfortability as an agent to trigger every viewer equally. Drawing comparisons from the theory of economic, social and racial intersections, Demarcation at times mirror oppression and injustice that is unfortunately a large part of my existence. The emotional scars created through black people’s lived experience create unrelenting agony. This performance moves away from that narrative a shows the we are living beings also filled with love and pride.
The connecting body through this performance is a character called She-Nut. A female entity that is projected as a visualization of a woman that transcends this world we call Earth.. We are connected to her lived experience which is told through her eyes and sometimes her body. Malcolm X said “The most disrespected person in America is a black woman. The most unprotected person in America is a black woman. The most neglected person in America is a black woman” This truth is shown through the alarmingly high assault and murder rates of black trans women. She-Nut embodies trans women who don't fit into societal norms because of how she looks. We are drawn into her mind twisted by the repeated hate and disrespect of her existence. but we revel in her strength because it is unbreakable
The original music in Demaration is a lyrical love letter to a black woman’s backbone. It chronicles the endless strength we endure to hold up our community. This project is an anthem of negro noise, and it's never ending battle against white supremacy. At its foundation is gospel, a centerpiece of resistance and the power that resides in acapella hymns only accompanied by the marching of women's heels. She-Nut then knocks on the doors of Motown, emulating the essence of black capitalism, pride and self expression. Finally, She-Nut is portaled into the present day, where the internet documentation of the new Jim Crow is on loop. Exhausted from the attack on our bodies and the murder of our kind. She-Nut spits verses into the mouths of bigotry declaring that WOMEN SHOULD NUT FIRST! In our struggle for happiness, the world needs to prioritize our existence. We are tired of standing and our backs are broken and full of scars. We deserve affirmation, love pampering and honestly an orgasm wouldn't hurt.
The connecting body through this performance is a character called She-Nut. A female entity that is projected as a visualization of a woman that transcends this world we call Earth.. We are connected to her lived experience which is told through her eyes and sometimes her body. Malcolm X said “The most disrespected person in America is a black woman. The most unprotected person in America is a black woman. The most neglected person in America is a black woman” This truth is shown through the alarmingly high assault and murder rates of black trans women. She-Nut embodies trans women who don't fit into societal norms because of how she looks. We are drawn into her mind twisted by the repeated hate and disrespect of her existence. but we revel in her strength because it is unbreakable
The original music in Demaration is a lyrical love letter to a black woman’s backbone. It chronicles the endless strength we endure to hold up our community. This project is an anthem of negro noise, and it's never ending battle against white supremacy. At its foundation is gospel, a centerpiece of resistance and the power that resides in acapella hymns only accompanied by the marching of women's heels. She-Nut then knocks on the doors of Motown, emulating the essence of black capitalism, pride and self expression. Finally, She-Nut is portaled into the present day, where the internet documentation of the new Jim Crow is on loop. Exhausted from the attack on our bodies and the murder of our kind. She-Nut spits verses into the mouths of bigotry declaring that WOMEN SHOULD NUT FIRST! In our struggle for happiness, the world needs to prioritize our existence. We are tired of standing and our backs are broken and full of scars. We deserve affirmation, love pampering and honestly an orgasm wouldn't hurt.