CockFight

source: brooklynmuseumorg

Biography

Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (b.1970 in Manila) lives in Copenhagen Denmark. Works primarily with video and performances. With consummate style and an almost voracious curiosity, she navigates the interspaces between different kinds of realities and extremes. Between the perfect staging of music videos and the raw reality of documentaries. Between personal confessionals and political commitment. Taking her own Danish-Filipino background as her point of departure, Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen displays a keenly honed sensitivity, almost like that of an anthropologist, to the narratives that exist in and between a place of birth and home country. She gathers, adapts, and universalisms these narratives in her both critical and humorous approach to central issues such as identity, gender, and social relations.Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen is a graduate from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (1996-2002). She has contributed to a wide range of exhibitions in Denmark and abroad. In 2004 she received the Danish Art Council’s three-year grant.

Feminist Artist Statement

My consiousness about feminism got stronger when I was about 30 years old. At the same time I got a child, and I got out of art school. It actually changed my works in a different direction. Since then they have had more focus on gender issues, and it has been important for me to do works about women. I realized that being a mother and a female hard working artist at the same time wasn’t as easy as being a man. Women simply have to work harder to achieve the same level as their male colleagues. We are raised within a patriarchal society and traditions, so boys and girls are raised differently by their parent(s). It takes time and understanding about that men and women are different, we think and act differently, but this shouldn’t be a barrier to equality. I believe that in order to achieve a dialogue and understanding about feminism and equality, it is important to find a “language” that can be understood by both gender. This is one of my aims in my works. I want to show an image of a strong woman with attitude, and who serves her point of view in a direct way. A woman, who is proud of being a woman. I am not concerned of using my femininity and sensuality in my works. My character is dual and contains male and female values. Feminism is simply a fair play, that concerns both gender. It isn’t about competition, excluding or battling, but something which have advantages for both sex. The feminist from the 60’s have done hard work for us. Unfortunately both men and women today are afraid of the word feminism because of the 60’s. They were men haters and at the same time they tried to be as men. I don’t know if they could have done it differently then? Anyways as a woman today I am greatful for their struggle. But we have unfortunately not achieved equality and I must say that women simply have to work harder to gain the same as men. It is important to continue their work, even though with different means today.
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source: brooklynmuseumorg

Description:

Installation view from The Ego Show Statens Museum for Kunst, CPH. One projection shows a documentary about the Filipinos national sport Sabong, Cockfighting. On the opposite side is a music video about macho identity. Also as one channel projection 3 minutes.The performer is dressed as a cock but at the same time she is a woman and plays with her female sexuality. She is rapping about how proud she is being a cock. The lyric play with the word cock in its dual meaning. This piece is about macho identity and the stereotype image of a man, as being proud, a player and very occupied with his hobby.