Untitled, Mixed Media
(2004)
A collective creation by Yuyachkani
Concept and Direction: Miguel Rubio Zapata
On stage: Augusto Casafranca, Ana Correa, Débora Correa, Rebeca Ralli, Teresa Ralli, Julián Vargas, Daniel Cano, Gabriella Paredes Rodríguez, Jorge Baldeón, Lucero Medina Hú, Milagros Felipe Obando, Silvia Tomotaki
Production: Socorro Naveda
Technical Coordination: Alejandro Siles
This performance unfolds at the intersection of theater, visual arts, and performance art, in a space that resembles the attic or storeroom of a history museum — before the exhibits were classified — where photographs, actors, documents, and objects converge. Yuyachkani presents a narrative supported by the interaction of actors and objects, images, music, and historical fragments that evoke a range of emotional responses. It is a unique experience in which performers and audience share a common space. Untitled – Mixed Media by Yuyachkani is a theatrical piece without a linear story, conventional structure, or traditional characters — rather, it is shaped by presences through which history is conveyed.
In its early years, Yuyachkani aimed to stage the history of the War of the Pacific (with Chile), but for various reasons this project was never realized. Now, thirty years later, another chapter of Peruvian history has been added to the narrative: the period of political violence that occurred in the country from 1980 to 2000. The driving force behind this piece was Yuyachkani’s experience working with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “We accompanied the public hearings of the Truth Commission. I think that experience left a deep mark on us and gave us a vision: why not draw historical parallels? To feel the exclusion, the nature of the state, the social abyss, to know the victims, that is how we arrived at this work,” explains Miguel Rubio, the director.
It is a non-traditional stage, designed to resemble the attic of a museum — a kind of historical archive made up of photographs, books, photocopied images of historical events, mannequins, costumes from different eras, and fragments of speeches that have shaped Peruvian history. It immerses the audience in a past that demands presence, a past that reminds that this lived reality is part of our collective history. “We want to invite the audience to feel involved in their own history, not to remain distant from those painful moments we’ve lived and often prefer to keep hidden,” says Miguel Rubio, who offers a clear look back at the violence endured by innocent people.
Through the actors’ performances and body movements, the piece expresses the tragedy, grief, and helplessness experienced by thousands of Peruvians — and as well as the hope for a future that is being built. Untitled – Mixed Media uses various elements of the visual arts: costumes, masks, musical performances, dance, and more. These elements surprise the audience and encourage them to move freely through the space, to choose what they see and hear, and above all, to engage in personal reflection.
Galería
