Before any identity comes to the surface and we start to be defined by external circumstances, like ‘what is one’s birth place’, there is a dignity, a stage which is given equally to all human beings who come into this world; the act of birth. This is what Nástio wants to edify in favor of sober, inclusive and consistent departure points. Vaginocracy is a vivid illustration of a concept that is a result of merging ‘equality’ and ‘democracy’ as intended. The audiovisual collage will be a homage to human dignity.
The audiovisual happening crowns the final stage in the process of gathering footage documenting the moment of human birth. On the website armyoftheindividual.com Nástio Mosquito calls to everybody who wishes to share their home videos of what he calls, ‘the purest manifestation of human dignity’. Out of the collected footage, Mosquito edited an 8-minute-long video which will be screened once – online, and on numerous screens in all possible locations; nationally and internationally.
NÁSTIO MOSQUITO
An artist. He calls himself also: a consultant or a confused cook, who mixes various ingredients to make good food, sometimes… He blends images, live music, typographic art, poetry and powerful acting to get a spectator involved into very intense narratives. In everything he does, he shows an intense commitment to the open-ended potential of language. Easily misread as a kind of world weariness, it is the extraordinary expression of an urgent desire to engage with reality at all levels.
He traces the ongoing process of distraction, pixilation, paralyzed senses and inability to act and re-act. Nástio gives it a strong voice (it can be a scream or whisper) asking: how do we embrace the world? Through questioning the limits and power of language, overusing images and at the same time relying on them, removing its layers to see more, Nástio pretends to attempt an answer or presents possible perspectives. He combines two dimensions of affect – a global and an individualistic perspective – offering a sense displacement (is this a theatre event? A concert? A speech? A radio broadcast? A demonstration?), revealing the stitches of the context.
Mosquito is interested in the political dimension of our dreams. He asks: “who/what has power upon us? How can we maximize our capacities? Who/what we care about?”. While unfolding this reflection and using extensively pop culture to pursue it, he proves that shallowness is as deep as seriousness, and that to really feel alive we need to acknowledge these two realms in an equal way.
Nástio Mosquito. If you look, your hear the buzz.
Meet Nástio Mosquito: