Lady K. Fever (Kathleena Howie)
Dubbed in Light: Jamaica, Queens
Dubbed in light reflections in play and love in Jamaica, I arrived in Jamaica Queens in the afternoon. Memories fade of what I thought I knew before becoming present. Breathe—tune into—I allow myself to get lost to find the location- NO GPS- I ask 1 person, only at one point, then I sense the blocks – I allow the sunlight reflections and streets to guide me where I go—who I meet and what I discover — there is no set plan other than the preparation of being present. I let go of who I think I am and I open my heart to the heartbeat of where I am. I play in love and embrace everything in light heartedness. Feeling the sounds of cars—traffic—concrete—music—laughter—the way the sun hits the buildings—the scents collecting—dubbing all this and when I arrive at the site I install according to my experiences arriving at the location. What happened between A and B = C. A is a new person—new addition—new energy. I dub my new experiences into gestures of love expressed in specific designs with reflective objects, expressing the unspeakable; the unspoken. At site location: Nicolás and I embraced and began a dialogue of delight. We played with the structures of the site, rearranging the structures: a table 2 chairs, also playing with tape and reflective objects. As we play, the site comes to life and transcends into another layer. Light strips of reflective materials are installed, highlighting dark areas and loved corners. There is reggae and dance hall music playing. The surfaces are mirrored adding another dimension of reflection and elevates the play.
As the installation ends, Nicolás and I discuss the piece sitting down and eating/sharing a meal, so we set the table as a formal dining room. We sit on each end. We do not know where to eat or what…. I start to notice the music a store is playing. This transforms the energy into a tropical fun loving for me. This store playing music draws me in and I ask the store owner DJ RAS LEE where is the best Roots food to find. I notice there is baked fish. I have never eaten baked fish ever in my life so I decide to buy it, to experience something new in a new neighborhood. Nicolás sees this fish and decides to get some as well. We sit across from each other. We begin our exploration of flavors: hot, spicy, and lots of bones. We sit and have a meal as people are walking by shopping and enjoying themselves. Nicolás asks the store vendor for a Jamaican flag and we declare this table as a location of transmission. There is laughter, awkward eating, picking of bones, enjoyment of food, and dialogue. We greet people as they walk by and we allow ourselves to be open to how each person brings their own energy to the table. We finish our meal. Thank the beautiful chef and store owner. Nicolás and I hug. I head back to the train.
About the artist
I am an inter-disciplinary artist who focuses on public art, interventions, and installations. While most of my work consists of large-scale public/street art installations I like to experiment in painting, conceptualism, performance, and writing. I was a dancer for many years and transitioned into performance and street art while studying theatre, film and directing at Gastown Actor’s Studio in Vancouver 1994. My newer performance series deals with the organic interactions of love and play in our lives. For the past thirteen years I have worked as a consultant and educator with museums and community organizations.
Photos: Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful and Sara Guerrero-Rippberger
Dubbed in Light: Jamaica, Queens
Dubbed in light reflections in play and love in Jamaica, I arrived in Jamaica Queens in the afternoon. Memories fade of what I thought I knew before becoming present. Breathe—tune into—I allow myself to get lost to find the location- NO GPS- I ask 1 person, only at one point, then I sense the blocks – I allow the sunlight reflections and streets to guide me where I go—who I meet and what I discover — there is no set plan other than the preparation of being present. I let go of who I think I am and I open my heart to the heartbeat of where I am. I play in love and embrace everything in light heartedness. Feeling the sounds of cars—traffic—concrete—music—laughter—the way the sun hits the buildings—the scents collecting—dubbing all this and when I arrive at the site I install according to my experiences arriving at the location. What happened between A and B = C. A is a new person—new addition—new energy. I dub my new experiences into gestures of love expressed in specific designs with reflective objects, expressing the unspeakable; the unspoken. At site location: Nicolás and I embraced and began a dialogue of delight. We played with the structures of the site, rearranging the structures: a table 2 chairs, also playing with tape and reflective objects. As we play, the site comes to life and transcends into another layer. Light strips of reflective materials are installed, highlighting dark areas and loved corners. There is reggae and dance hall music playing. The surfaces are mirrored adding another dimension of reflection and elevates the play.
As the installation ends, Nicolás and I discuss the piece sitting down and eating/sharing a meal, so we set the table as a formal dining room. We sit on each end. We do not know where to eat or what…. I start to notice the music a store is playing. This transforms the energy into a tropical fun loving for me. This store playing music draws me in and I ask the store owner DJ RAS LEE where is the best Roots food to find. I notice there is baked fish. I have never eaten baked fish ever in my life so I decide to buy it, to experience something new in a new neighborhood. Nicolás sees this fish and decides to get some as well. We sit across from each other. We begin our exploration of flavors: hot, spicy, and lots of bones. We sit and have a meal as people are walking by shopping and enjoying themselves. Nicolás asks the store vendor for a Jamaican flag and we declare this table as a location of transmission. There is laughter, awkward eating, picking of bones, enjoyment of food, and dialogue. We greet people as they walk by and we allow ourselves to be open to how each person brings their own energy to the table. We finish our meal. Thank the beautiful chef and store owner. Nicolás and I hug. I head back to the train.
About the artist
I am an inter-disciplinary artist who focuses on public art, interventions, and installations. While most of my work consists of large-scale public/street art installations I like to experiment in painting, conceptualism, performance, and writing. I was a dancer for many years and transitioned into performance and street art while studying theatre, film and directing at Gastown Actor’s Studio in Vancouver 1994. My newer performance series deals with the organic interactions of love and play in our lives. For the past thirteen years I have worked as a consultant and educator with museums and community organizations.
Photos: Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful and Sara Guerrero-Rippberger
