On Wednesday, April 13, artist Alicia Grullón presented Filibuster at BRIC House as part of the Whisper or Shout: Artists in the Social Sphere exhibition, which features artists who engage with a range of critical social and political issues. The Filibuster performance took place from 10am until 9pm on the 13th, and was a complete reenactment of the 11-hour filibuster by Texas State Senator Wendy Davis against a restrictive abortion bill.
With this performance, Grullón reflected on the platforms provided to the empowered while also referring to a key women’s rights issue. Since the Whisper or Shout show is interested in the various forms of communication artists use to convey their social message, Filibuster was also of interest as it was about a very specific form of speech (the filibuster). In addition, by inserting herself, a woman of color, into the Senator’s role, the reenactment also became the retelling of a historic moment from a point of view charged with new cultural, social, and political significance - questioning, as she states, “how stories change when you change the face of an actor.” Moving between performance, video, and photography, Alicia Grullón channels her interdisciplinary approach towards critiques on the politics of presence, an argument for the inclusion of disenfranchised communities in political and social spheres.
Grullón’s contribution to this debate centers on social interventions and performative re-enactments that assert the lived experiences of people left out of, or in this case central, to history. For Grullón, the alternative narratives that emerge from these socially engaged practices consider race, class, gender, activism, and the inter-working of all four in the shaping the contemporary social condition.
Stop by at any time to see the performance for yourself, or connect online one of three ways:
#1) Watch at any time via a stationary live stream of the event.
#2) Tweet your questions for Alicia via Twitter using the hashtag #BRICfilibuster.
#3) Explore the performance from time to time via the Periscope app.
This program is part of the Whisper Or Shout: Artists in the Social Sphere exhibition on view at BRIC House March 17-May 1, 2016.
Venue Information:
The Stoop at BRIC House is a public cultural gathering space featuring free, drop-in programming, and offering a place to sit, observe, and participate in multi-disciplinary work.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2022, attendees of any BRIC House programming will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the building. Masks are encouraged but not required in all BRIC operated spaces. If you have questions regarding this protocol, please email Safety@bricartsmedia.org