Ethno-Techno by Guillermo Gomez-Pena

Explores the political and philosophical parameters of what's left for artists to do in a post-9/11 repressive culture. This illustrated book offers insight into the author's methods of production, development and teaching. Top page

Complete description

Guillermo Gomez-Pena has spent many years developing his unique style of performance-activism; his theatricalizations of postcolonial theory. In "Ethno-Techno: Writings on Performance, Activism and Pedagogy", he pushes the boundaries still further, exploring what's left for artists to do in a post-9/11 repressive culture of what he calls 'the mainstream bizarre'. Over forty-five photos document his artistic experiments and the text not only explores and confronts his political and philosophical parameters; it offers groundbreaking insights into his - and his company's - methods of production, development and teaching. The result is an extraordinary and inspiring glimpse into the life and work of one of the most daring, innovative and challenging performance artists of our age. Top page

General info

Publisher & Imprint: Routledge

City: London

Pages: 256

More info: height 234 mm width 156 mm weight 744 gr thickness 19 mm

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Age recommended: General/trade

Subject Indexing & Classification Dewey: 700 Library of Congress Subject: NX456.5.P3 Performance art - United States - 20th century.

Summary Ethno-Techno Index/Table of Contents Dedicatory and Confession Introduction and Thanks Gomez-Pena Pedagogic Interventions in the Mainstream Bizarre Elaine Pena Track One: Introductory Essays and Chronicles 1. On the Other side of the Mexican Mirror: (Essay/chronicle, 2003 - 2004) 2. In Defence of Perfomance (Essay/chronicle, 200) 3. Culturas-in-Extremis: Performing against the cultural backdrop of the mainstream bizarre (Essay/chronicle, revised, 2002) 4. Open Letter to the National Arts Community (2003) Track Two: Pedagogy (a useful guide to the Pocha methode) 1. Cross-contamination: The performance activism and oppostional are of La Pocha Nostra (Manifesto, 2004) 2. La Pocha's Basic Methodoloy (Handbook, 2004) Introduction Convocatory and Preparations for a Workshop The Bare Minimum Initial Notes to the Workshop Participants Performance Exercises, Rituals and Games Workshop Conclusions Track Three: Performance Radio 1. Letter to an Unknown Theif (Radio chronicle, 1999) 2. The Home Shopping Art Channel (Radio chronicle, 2000) 3. The Imaginary effects if a Trans-American Free Trade Zone (Performance Radio, 2001) 4. A Sad Postcard from San Francisco, Chili-con Valley (Radio chronicle, 1999) 5. Postcards from Alaska (Radio chronicle, 2002) 6. Touring in Times of War (Radio chronicle, 2001) 7. On Dual Citizenship (Radio chronicle, 2000) 8. My Evil Twin (Radio chronicle, 2002) 9. Saddam in Hollywood (Radio chronicle, 2003) 10. Frida Lite or Fat-free Dah (Radio chronicle, 2003) Track Four: Performance Literature (for the stage and cyber-space) 1. Brownout 2 (Performance script, 1999-2002) 2. 21st Century Chicano Newscast (Performance Radio & Cyber-Communique, 2002) 3. America's Most Wanted Inner Demon (Performance text, 2003) 4. A Declaration of Poetic Disobedience (Performance text, 2004) 5. Helpful Performance Tips on How to Avoid Xenophobia (Cyber-Communique, 2001) 6. The Post 9/11 "Rights and Priveleges of a US Citizen" (Anonymous Cyber-Communiqu, 2003) Track Five: Conversations with Theorists 1. Theatricalizations of Postcolonial Theory: A Coloumbian philosopher interviews a Mexican performance artist (2001) 2. The Minefields of Utopia: US performance theorise Lisa Wolford interviews Gomez-Pena on the dangers of artistic collaboration (Excerpts, 2000) 3. The Minefields of Dystopia: Lisa Wolford and Gomez-Pena discuss the pervasive effects of 9/11 (Excerpts, 2001-2) 4. Loose Ends: Gomez-Pena and Elaine Pena debate the fluid borders between author and editor (2004) Top page

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