Cockroaches II
Cockroaches
The performance was created before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. I was using tubes designed for oxygen therapy, i.e. treatment with inhaled oxygen. This therapy is said to help patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary diseases, improving their quality of life and prolonging it. I have also worked with exotic cockroaches and audience interaction. Children in particular responded well to the cockroaches, which are usually synonymous with something feared and unclean. Another level of the performance was the actual bringing of the cockroaches into the rigid space of the National Gallery. It was interesting that the otherwise uninvolved curators became allies in the smuggling of cockroaches. The performance was part of the long-running collective performance Theatrum Mundi, 27 April 2019, Veletržní palác, National Gallery Prague, curator + concept: Darina Alster.
Photo: Camila Vieira and Robert Carrithers.
Maqlu (Burning): 8th part
7.11. 2018, Minsk International Post-Sculpture Festival (Belarus)
Photo Siarhiej Ždanovič, Ronalds Sovas a Сергей Алексеевич
ww.rosscaldwell.com/babylonian/MAQLURIT.pdf
Burn the evidence. Burn yourself. Performance art series based on the Old Babylonian text „Maqlú“ (Burning), a protective ritual consisting of nine tablets. Each performance deals with one of them, referring to a different spiritual tradition. At the end of the performance, the audience can burn up some small object that symbolizes what they want to eliminate in their life. It is always a site-specific action dedicated to a particular space.
In this performance, I have transmuted the text into poems written on bed linen. There have been tests for sexually transmitted diseases put into the space of performance.
Maqlú (Burning): 5th part
8.9. 2018, Creature live art festival, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Photo Airida Rekšytė and Aldas Kvasciauskas
http://www.rosscaldwell.com/babylonian/MAQLURIT.pdf
Burn the evidence. Burn yourself. Performance art series based on the Old Babylonian text „Maqlú“ (Burning), a protective ritual consisting of nine tablets. Each performance deals with one of them, referring to a different spiritual tradition. At the end of the performance, the audience can burn up some small object that symbolizes what they want to eliminate in their life. It is always a site-specific action dedicated to a particular space.
„O warlock and witch, O sorcerer and sorceress, whose heart conceived evil, who sought out evil sorcery, who bound my knees with accused incantitions,
To break my spell and my enchantment, I turned to the word of Ea and Asariludu and the firegog Girra!
Who are you, sorceress, who worked magick continuously for three months and ten and half days?
I raised the chicory, the pride of the mountains, thyme, the prepared food for earth, acorn, acorn of the hierodul, pinecone, piconecone, which is full of seeds.
I want to break their knots, turn their tricks into storm wind, turn word to wind!
Upon the order of Ištar, Tammuz, Nanaya, the Mistress of Love, and Kanisurra, the Mistress of Sorceresses.
The hate that you have created through your magic, you have created against yourself. Also the injustice you have created, you have created against yourself, the kushunga you have created, you have created against yourself, the calumny you have created, you have created against yourself!
The evil God, you have let him seize me, may the evil God seize you! Lamaštu, Labasu, the Grabber, you have let them seize me, may Lamaštu, Labasu and the Grabber seize you!
The Lilu, the Lilitu, the Night-maid, you have let them seize me, may the Lilu, the Lilitu seize you! You want to destroy me through oath and proclamation; may your body find its end through oath and proclamation!
I disperse your sorcery, send your word back into your mouth! The sorceress and the great sorceress, may her magic sting like mint! May her magic scratch her like saffron! May her magic penetrate her like mustard!
In the spring water I have calmed your heart, I have soothed your angry liver; I drove away your heated temper; I confused your mind; I destroyed your plans, I burned your spells, I have numbed your hearts.
The Tigris and Euphrates, you will not cross! The mout and canal, you will not pass! You will not climb over the inner or outher wall! Your spells will not come close to me! Your word will not reach me!
You shall indeed be cast from my body!
Enlil is my head, the day my face.
Maqlú (Burning): 5th tablet
8.9. 2018, Creature live art festival, Kaunas (Lithuania)
Photo Airida Rekšytė and Aldas Kvasciauskas
http://www.rosscaldwell.com/babylonian/MAQLURIT.pdf
Burn the evidence. Burn yourself.
This is part of performance art series based on the Old Babylonian text „Maqlú“ (Burning) which has nine tablets. Each performance deals with one of them. It is a kind of protective ritual text. Each tablet I am making in a different style, referring to another spiritual tradition. At the end of the performance, the audience can burn up some little thing that symbolizes what they want to get rid of in their life. It is always a site-specific action for a particular space.
„O warlock and witch, O sorcerer and sorceress, whose heart conceived evil, who sought out evil sorcery, who bound my knees with accused incantitions,
To break my spell and my enchantment, I turned to the word of Ea and Asariludu and the firegog Girra!
Who are you, sorceress, who worked magick continuously for three months and ten and half days?
I raised the chicory, the pride of the mountains, thyme, the prepared food for earth, acorn, acorn of the hierodul, pinecone, piconecone, which is full of seeds.
I want to break their knots, turn their tricks into storm wind, turn word to wind!
Upon the order of Ištar, Tammuz, Nanaya, the Mistress of Love, and Kanisurra, the Mistress of Sorceresses.
The hate that you have created through your magic, you have created against yourself. Also the injustice you have created, you have created against yourself, the kushunga you have created, you have created against yourself, the calumny you have created, you have created against yourself!
The evil God, you have let him seize me, may the evil God seize you! Lamaštu, Labasu, the Grabber, you have let them seize me, may Lamaštu, Labasu and the Grabber seize you!
The Lilu, the Lilitu, the Night-maid, you have let them seize me, may the Lilu, the Lilitu seize you! You want to destroy me through oath and proclamation; may your body find its end through oath and proclamation!
I disperse your sorcery, send your word back into your mouth! The sorceress and the great sorceress, may her magic sting like mint! May her magic scratch her like saffron! May her magic penetrate her like mustard!
In the spring water I have calmed your heart, I have soothed your angry liver; I drove away your heated temper; I confused your mind; I destroyed your plans, I burned your spells, I have numbed your hearts.
The Tigris and Euphrates, you will not cross! The mout and canal, you will not pass! You will not climb over the inner or outher wall! Your spells will not come close to me! Your word will not reach me!
You shall indeed be cast from my body!
Enlil is my head, the day my face.
Body Cluster III
Creature live art festival, Kaunas (Lithuania), 7.9. 2018
With Darina Alster
Photo Airida Rekštytė, Arturas Armonas a Eligijus Kniezauskas
Maqlu (Burning): 2nd part
2.9. 2018, Festival of Naked Forms, Karlin Studios, Prague
Intimate version of second Maqlú tablet.
Photo Marie Zandálková and Fnaf festival
www.rosscaldwell.com/babylonian/MAQLURIT.pdf
Burn the evidence. Burn yourself. Performance art series based on the Old Babylonian text „Maqlú“ (Burning), a protective ritual consisting of nine tablets. Each performance deals with one of them, referring to a different spiritual tradition. At the end of the performance, the audience can burn up some small object that symbolizes what they want to eliminate in their life. It is always a site-specific action dedicated to a particular space.
„Girra, the perfect master: You are powerfull is meaning of your name.
Nanna, you see everything. You lighten the dark house,
Ethernal New Light of the countries.
You light up everything: I stand in front of you, because you restore justice.
Like Sin and Šamaš you make right, so restore my right, make my decision!
She has packed my heart, the head, the neck and the face,
she packed my looking eyes, packed my going feet, packet my walking knees, packed my guiding arms.
Now, in front of your Great Divinity, here are images
of my warlock and my witch, my sorcerer and my sorceress, my stupifier and my stupifyeress, my lord opponent and my lady opponent, my lord enemy and my lady enemy, my lord persecutor and my lady persecutor, my lord accuser and my lady accuser, my lord slanderer and my lady slanderer, my lord detractor and my lady detractor, my lord nemesis and my lady nemesis,they gave me over to a corpse, they subjected me to ridicule, to the evil Utukku or the evil Alu or the evil Alu or the evil Etimnu, Lamaštu, or Labasu or Ahhazu, Lilu or Lilitu or Ardat Lili
or Hand of God, or Hand of Goddess, or Hand of the Spirit of the Dead, or Hand of Utukki
or Cooking of the Flesh, Paralysis, Consumption, or everything bad that doesn´t have a name or everything that does bad things among human beings, which holds me prisoner during the night, which chases me during the day, which doesn´t let me free for a moment!
Now, in front of your Divine Greatness, I burn them.
Look at me, Girra, ter them out of my body, dissolve their spell!
Now, in front of your Great Divinity, i made two images of the warlock and the witch.
They may detour, but may I go straight! They may reach their limit; but may I grow! They may become weak, but I strong!
Burning Girra, First born son of Anu! Give me justice, make my decision!
Burn the warlock and the witch!
They who inflict the evil witchcraft and malevolent spell!
They tried to roll me like a ball of wool! They tried to calp me to the ground like a bird clapper! They tried to destroy me like a chip of rock! They tried to cover me like a net! They tried to climb me like a wall of clay! They tried to fill me with dirty water! They tried to sweep me out the door like household trash!
But I, by order of Marduk, the Master of Holy Evening, and Asariludu, the Master of Magic, the sorcerer and sorceress like a ball of wool I roll them! Like a bird clapper I throw them to the ground! Like a chip of rock i destroy them! Like a net I cover them! Like a wick I roll them! Like a wall of clay I climb them! Like dirty water I fill them! Like a household refuse I sweep them out of the door! May the image of the warlock and the witch become ashes!
