Article by Marrisa Gonzales Fernandes
Editor of the Spanish Women artist’s on-line journal.
Translated from Spanish.
The series Walking in the Way 2009-2013 is a collaboration by two Irish visual artists, Pauline Cummins and Frances Mezzetti. It is an investigation into the construction of gender roles and of ways of being in public arenas. The live performances develop from research and observations on how men behave in local areas.
In their performances the artists explore certain freedoms enjoyed by males, which are informed by local history, the environment and the architecture of each area.
One of the first performances was in Dublin, Ireland on Father’s Day 21 June 2009. Both artists drew on their own personal memories of their fathers (both skilled craftsmen) and also of a particular part of inner Dublin.
A format began to emerge for future performances. The artists choose areas where working – men frequent, such as hardware shops, barbers, public houses and betting offices. Six other performances developed from this, in other cities including Belfast, and Derry in Northern Ireland, Edinburgh in Scotland, Dublin, Ireland and Istanbul, Turkey.
The format involves research into each particular community, location and issues that arise in these particular area. Consequently the performance is a unique encounter and response. The duration of each performance varies from one to eight hours.
Amanda Coogan artist/curator, invited both artists to present this work in the exhibition of Irish women performance artists called, Labour 2012.
Preparations are currently in place to perform Walking in the Way in AccionMad13 Madrid, Container, Seville and Open Action Malaga in Spain November 2013.